Magic Chronicles
by Ulquiorra9000
Summary: Five ordinary teens find themselves in the Multiverse, and must become powerful spell-wielders with their cards to defeat an evil villainess intent on enslaving the entire Multiverse in her evil grip.
1. Chapter 1

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 1

By Louis Kemner 2008

"So, who will read the next passage?" Professor Smith asked the English class. In the third row, twenty-year-old Viktor Dimitrov raised his hand.

"I'll do it, sir," he said.

"All right, then, Viktor, fire away," the professor said. The man was fairly laid-back for a college professor; some of the older ones disapproved of him, but he didn't mind that. He was just over thirty, only a decade older than his sophomore English Studies students. Viktor was one of his favorites: though Viktor was Bulgarian, and came to the United States from Bulgaria to study, Viktor was the favorite. In fact, Professor Smith owned a game console at his home, and shared a few games with some of his students. He wasn't delinquent, though; games didn't get in the way of English.

Viktor read the passage out loud, about Lenin's Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917. The wording was set up to make it difficult to decipher the meaning of the words, but for a student with English as a second language, Viktor did impressively. When the bell rang for classes ending, Viktor gathered his items and put them in his red backpack, and started to head out the door.

"Just a second, Viktor," the professor said to him. Viktor stopped, and the teacher said, "I hear that you play a card game with friends of yours. What can you tell me about it?"

"It's called 'Magic: the Gathering'," Viktor said, hefting his backpack to a more comfortable position. "You play spells and creatures, trying to take your opponent's life total from 20 to 0. Why do you ask?"

"I might be interested in picking it up," Professor Smith grinned. "I'm stuck in Final Fantasy XII; my quests are too difficult and leveling up is way too slow at this point. Maybe I could find a starting deck, and you and Devin could tutor me. Sound good?"

"Yeah, that's great," Viktor grinned. "We've been wanting new players for a while. Okay, this weekend, we're going to the game store."

"I will see you there," the professor said, then left to talk to other students.

Viktor went down the crowded hallway, trying not to knock anyone over. Near the exit doors, there stood Devin Willis. He was nineteen and a freshman, one year below Viktor in age and grade level. He had wavy blond hair and a big smile, and many girls admired him. But he was solidly single.

"There you are," Devin said, slapping and shaking Viktor's hand in greeting. "What kept you? The others said that we're meeting at Makoto's house today. He doesn't like us to wait."

"Professor Smith wants to start playing," Viktor explained. "He'll get a deck this weekend."

"Tight, man," Devin said happily. "Then we can play three-on-three, instead of two-headed giant with someone left out. C'mon, let's go."

The two of them took the city bus, and were soon dropped off at the house of Makoto Nakamura. They rang the doorbell, and were admitted by Ashley. Ashley, who was 16, and her sister Kelly, 18, were the few girls Viktor and Devin knew who played Magic: the Gathering. They used to be teased by it, but the teasers had grown bored. Plus, they were good players. Ashley had a mean blue-white deck that was full of counter spells and flying creatures. Kelly ran a solid black deck, with vampires, skeletons, and swamp beasts. Makoto himself had a red-white deck, with samurai creatures from the Kamigawa block. It was his favorite.

"Glad you're here," Makoto said, coming into the room. He finished wiping his hands on a towel and tossed it away. "Mother-san says that we can play for just an hour, cause we're having guests later."

"That's okay," Viktor said, following the others o the dining room. The polished oak table made an excellent playing surface, and Makoto always had snacks ready. Everyone took their seats, and shuffled their decks.

"Now, let's put all our decks together," Makoto said as they all finished shuffling.

"How come?" Devin asked.

"Let's try playing with each other's decks this time," Makoto said, putting his deck in the center. "Should be fun!"

"Okay, just a second," Kelly said, getting up. She turned the radio on to her favorite station, and sat back down. The game commenced, everyone trying to use each other's decks with amusing results.

"Makoto-kun!" the mother called from the other room. "Just half an hour more, okay?"

"Fine," Makoto yelled back. "Let's do it again!" he said, putting his deck back to the center. Everyone else did, too. Viktor accidentally slid his deck too fast, and knocked all the decks apart.

"God-dang it!" Devin exclaimed good-naturedly. "You messed up our cards."

"Sorry," Viktor mumbled, starting to re-arrange the decks. He found five creatures clumped together, one from each deck. He hastily piled them together and continued sorting the other cards. But what he did not notice was that the five cards were fluttering, as though by a breeze. The fluttering strengthened to a spinning that made all five cards spin like tops, all on their own.

"What's that?" Kelly asked, pointing at the spinning cards. "Did you do that, Viktor?"

"Uh, no," Viktor said, watching the rotating cards. "I didn't move them enough to put that kind of spin on them. And they're not slowing down…"

He got the sinking feeling that something strange was going on, and he was right. With a whisper, then a roar, the cards spun at blurring speeds, and a whirlwind focused on them, tugging at the five kids seated at the table. A small black point appeared above the cards, like a pitch-black marble.

"What's going on?!" Devin cried, holding at the table to steady himself. The winds plucked at everyone's clothing, threatening to pull them into the void. Then, the black point grew and grew, until it could admit a person. Green energy crackled like lightning around it, and the wind was finally too strong to resist. Thee five terrified kids were wrenched from their seats, and they cried out as they were absorbed. Viktor just managed to scoop all the cards into his pockets before he was pulled in.

The five of them were flying down a green tube of energy, like a wormhole. They seemed to be floating and flying, like asteroids in space. The event was short-lived, though. Bright light shone at the dark end, and the five of them came tumbling out and fell onto hard stone. Viktor rubbed his sore elbow, and looked around. They were in some kind of alleyway, with trash bins here and there, and squeaking rats scurrying about. The black portal ball shrank, until it was pea-sized, then gone. No trace remained of the portal.

"Ehhh… what happened? Where are we?" Makoto asked, getting up and looking around. "I don't recognize where we are."

"We must be somewhere in the deeper city," Ashley said, getting up as well.

"We'll just find our way to the main street, and take a bus to our homes," Viktor said. "We only had a half-hour left to play anyway."

"That's a good idea," Kelly said. "Okay, let's go this way." She pointed down an especially wide alley, and Viktor followed the others.

Five minutes later, the alleys refused to yield to the street, and Viktor grew concerned. He could smell something in the air; it was sweet, but in a sickly way. He and the others were going in its direction. Wherever they were, they had to hurry the hell up to get to safety —

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden and loud hissing sound. Everyone stopped dead at the sound.

"Aw, now what?" Devin complained, looking around for the source of the sound. The alleys' quiet seemed oppressive, trapping them where they were. The hissing sounded again, closer. Then, out of a dark alley, a monster erupted. It was a giant insect, with a round and curving head. Two small, beady eyes glared at the kids, and it had animal-like jaws full of sharp teeth. It had a humanoid body, with two arms and four legs. Its hands had sharp and deadly claws.

"Look out!" Viktor cried, grabbing his friends and pulling them to the ground. The monster insect leaped over them, landing at the other end of them. Its claws gouged the ground, leaving scratches. It hissed again, and Viktor realized that the sweet smell was coming from the beast. He suspected that Kelly had chosen this direction because her sub-conscious could detect it, and encouraged her to go this way. It was a trap! More hissing could be heard, and two more of the insects creeped out of the darkness, salivating with their massive jaws. The three of them surrounded the terrified kids, who could only tremble at the sight.

The beasts lunged, but a flash of silver intercepted them, and they fell back, wounded. An elvish man descended out of nowhere, with body armor, long hair, and a long broadsword. The insects eyed the new threat, keeping their distance. The elf man proclaimed, "Come and get me, you filthy Golgari beasts! Are you not fit for your guild's survival of the fittest?" and attacked them.

He was an expert swordsman; he quickly dispatched one of the insects, and was hacking away at the second. One of them scored a hit with its claws on his shoulder, only to have him retaliate and slice its head cleanly off. He dispatched the last one with a sword thrust, and turned to face Viktor and the others.

"You're lucky I came along," he said, sheathing his sword. "Golgari Mortipedes will attack any stray travelers, regardless of whether they are strong or weak."

"Uh… we thank you," Viktor said, speaking for the group. "You came just as we were in trouble. How did you come by us?"

"I patrol here regularly for monsters such as they," the elf said, nodding at the dead Mortipedes. He turned and started to walk off, and said over his shoulder, "These alleys are not safe. Come, I can guide you back to the market square."

His words sank into the five, and they hastened to follow him and stay in his protective company. In less than a minute, the elf had led them to bright light, and Viktor gasped at the sight before him.

They had entered a wide stone street, lined with wood and stone buildings off all sizes and heights. Portable vendors were scattered along the sidewalks, selling wares of every imaginable kind. The crowd consisted of a variety of people; humans, elves, vedalken, and giants busted back and forth. Among them were armored soldiers, mages in elaborate cloaks, and shady sorts. The buildings in the distance were nearly skyscrapers; clock towers rang out the hour with loud and clear bells, church steeples reached for the clouds, and tall apartments were all about.

The elf warrior addressed Viktor and the others. "I must go now. I can't dawdle much longer. Farewell to you all, and may good fortune follow you always," he said.

"Thank you for your help," Makoto said, and the others agreed. Without another word, the elf dashed away and melted into the crowds.

Viktor suddenly recognized where they were. "Ravnica!" he breathed loudly.

"You mean the Ravnica card set?" Devin asked. "Don't tell me you think we're there!"

"This has got to be," Viktor said excitedly, spreading his arms out. "Look at all these people, and the creatures we see. Those insect Mortipedes, I recognize them from the cards! And that was the Civic Wayfinder!"

"That can't be," Kelly said, shaking her head. "I can't explain that portal, but there's no way we teleported to the Ravnica plane. It's impossible!"

Just as she said this, three merchants walked by, and one was excitedly saying, "The Izzet recruiters say I've got a real knack for replication techniques, I think old Niv-Mizzet has a _real _mage coming to his doorstep!"

The three had barely passed when a squad of armored men walked by, their silver armor painted red in parts. On their shoulder plates were the words BOROS DRAGON-CLAW LEGION. Those soldiers passed, and a screeching was heard overhead. A griffin with blue-white tinted feathers swooped overhead, with a struggling pickpocketer in its mighty beak. Around its neck was a collar that read AZORIUS FIRST-WING UNIT. The creature flew on and wove between the spires of the buildings.

"You see?" Viktor said, pointing at the clues. "We're obviously here, in Ravnica!"

"And why is this so exciting?" Ashley asked. "We have to find a way home!"  
"That's right," Makoto added. "We know that the creatures here are dangerous, plus the guild feuds."

"I guess," Viktor agreed, feeling his excitement fade. "How _are _we going to get back? I didn't see how the portal opened in the first place. All I saw was the stack of five cards spinning, then the portal opened."

"It was clearly related to the cards somehow," Kelly said thoughtfully. "We'll have to figure this out later. I can tell it's the afternoon. We should find an inn to stay in while we figure this out."

"That's a good idea!" Ashley agreed. "Maybe that one over there?" she pointed to a small building, several stories high and made mostly of wood. The swinging sign over the double doors read Fairie Wing Inn.Viktor and the others made their way across the busy street to get there. Before they could, however, a disturbance halted their progress. Out of nowhere, a flight of arrows shot past the group and thudded into the rooftops above. People cried out and ran from the site, clearing away like ants from a hungry bird. From above the roofs, a whiny crackle could be heard, getting closer. Another flight of arrows was fired, and they connected with something unseen. Then, a bizarre object ridden with arrows came crashing into the street from the sky.

"It's the Dragonauts!" someone called, and his message was reinforced by four more of the objects whizzing into the air. They were made of a central dome-disk, with energy sputtering from it. Cables hung from it, supporting goblin-like fairie men with goggles riding in litters. The fairie men put their hands together, and balls of red and blue energy focused between their fingers. They pulled their arms back and threw the balls like baseballs, and the orbs exploded against the buildings on the other side.

Viktor wheeled around, and saw dozens of tree-men advancing across the street. They had yellow-green crystals for heads and hands: they were saprolings! Some were obliterated by the energy bolts, but the rest shuffled across the street, advancing on the position of the Dragonauts. The Dragonauts were reinforced by several Weird creatures, which rushed forward to help the Dragonauts. On the saproling side, several elephant clerics thudded forward, along with elves dressed in green armor standing on the rooftops opposite the Dragonauts. Before Viktor knew it, both sides engaged in battle, with the elephants, elves, and saprolings on one side, and the Dragonauts and Weirds on the other.

"We've got to get away!" Devin cried, pulling his companions away from the carnage. The bloody battle intensified as guildmages on both sides arrived and worked their magic. Selesnya mages created saprolings by the dozens, while Izzet mages threw fireballs at them. Some Izzet mages created the fireballs, and others cast blue energy on the fireballs, which split into several. On the Selesnya side, another creature came into play as the Izzet had the upper hand in battle: a giant plant that resembled a Venus flytrap with four heads. The plant beast gave a squeal and slithered forward on its roots. The panicking Izzet mages burned the heads off with fireballs, but the charred planty stumps grew new heads, so now the beast had eight! It was a Phytohydra. Within minutes, the Phytohydra and elf archers slaughtered the Izzet forces, and the Izzet survivors scampered back into the alleyways.

Calm soon returned to the streets, and people began to flood back into the former battlefield, making sure to avoid roasted saprolings and destroyed Weirds. One of the Selesnya guildmages approached Viktor and the others.

"Sorry you had to see all that, young ones," the elf mage said. "The Izzet have been stomping all over the market square like they own the damn place. Glad no one was badly hurt."

"I took a burn, here," Devin grunted, revealing his charred arm. "Stupid mages sent a fireball at me, and look at this!" he panted from the pain.

"This wound looks serious," the elf said, leaning closer. His green, inhuman eyes observed the blackened flesh. "Come with me, everyone. This injury will be treated fully, as the Conclave's apology for allowing innocents to be harmed in our skirmishes." He got up, and beckoned.

"Should we trust him?" Ashley whispered as the mage started to walk away. "We should be careful."

"Right, but I don't see any other healers around," Viktor said, scanning the street. "Plus, the Izzet used the fire, not the Selesnya. We should go with them."

"'Kay," Devin agreed, and he hobbled after the guildmage with the others following. It was hard to believe that they were actually in the Ravnica plane, Viktor thought. He didn't know how or why this would happen. But he and the others had to find a way to survive this metropolis of guilds, and find a way home. Soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 2

By Louis Kemner 2008

Viktor Dimitrov, 20 year old Bulgarian transfer student, had his world turned upside down and all around. He had been playing his favorite card game with his friends, Makoto Nakamura, Devin Willis, and Ashley and Kelly Logan, when a mysterious portal had appeared and teleported them to Ravnica. That's a strange day in Viktor's book, and just about anyone else's. Currently unable to find a way back home, the quintet has explored a bit of Ravnica's endless metropolis, and found friendship with the Selesnya guild. Their story continues here, in the second volume of the Magic: the Gathering Chronicles.

Devin was barely awake, and just registered the fact that he was lying on a soft bed. Golden light washed over his vision, but it was all he could see; he could have been drowning in a lake of gold. Then, a gentle voice danced into his ears.

"You open your eyes, human," the voice said. The female's voice sent shivers up and down Devin's back, and warmth spread from his ears to the rest of him. How lovely was that voice! He opened his eyes farther, and he saw the face of a female dryad watching him.

Sitting up straight, Devin saw that he was indeed lying on a bed, and that he was in a room made of light tan stone. Large, glass-less window behind him admitted the sun's light, warming the stone and reflecting off the polished floor. Along the walls hung potted plants of all kinds. They gave off various scents that tickled his nose.

"Be gentle, human boy," the dryad said. "Your burn is still healing, and too much movement will aggravate it. Lay down, now."

Devin lay obeyed, and laid back. The dryad said no more, but took an ointment from a small table and applied the warm green paste to the burned flesh.

"Where am I?" Devin asked. He had heard people say that all the time in movies and books, and now it was his turn. This was all real.

"You are in Vitu-Ghazi, the city tree," the dryad explained. "It is the home of our Conclave and all who call themselves the followers of the Selesnya. This tree was once the mightiest of all, until it was cut down. Now, our magic gives it life, and it gives us home. When you have recovered, you may explore it until you depart."

"That's cool," Devin mumbled, staring at the mossy ceiling. He was not interested in this city tree. He savored the dryad's soft hands on his skin, and her soothing voice. "Who are you, exactly?" he asked.

"My name is Alana," the dryad said. "I'm one of the healers for the combat divisions. I've been trained with my fellows in the art of mending all ailments short of death. Though this guild de-emphasizes the individual, our lives are still worth saving so we may strive toward our eventual goal."

"What goal's that?" Devin asked.

"To ensure natural harmony in all of Ravnica and preserve nature to the utmost," Alana said, now wrapping bandages on the burn. "We possess the nature of green and the preservation of white, and together they make us what we are: the Selesnya Conclave."

Viktor, Ashley, Makoto, and Kelly had been taken to a tremendous floating tree by the Selesnya mages. Though apparently cut down some time ago, it sustained its life well, and bore a cluster of stone buildings against and in its trunk. A bowl-shaped stone depression in front of the buildings served as an arena and training ground.

The four of them had been taken into the building network, through passages that kept them away from the main sections, so they didn't see much of the guild. They had been stationed in a hotel-like room and told to until while the "Conclave" summoned them.

"We have to play it smooth," Makoto was saying, while lying on the bed. "Weird magic people like them don't want to the offended by outsiders. They must think we're pretty strange, with out clothes."

"Whatever they want, joining the guild probably won't do us good," Viktor said. "We've got to focus on re-opening that portal somehow. We'll thank them for healing Devin, then get out of here."

"Remember that we're in the middle of a ten-sided guild war," Kelly reminded him. "They may be eager for new members. Our own magic knowledge may all they see, but all they want. And where are our cards?"

"In my pockets," Viktor said, taking all the cards out of his pockets and spreading them on a table. "They're completely jumbled, so I'll re-order them for the decks." He started to sort them into stacks.

The wooden door's lock clacked, then the door creaked open. A single elf woman stood there, in white robes with olive-colored trim. "The Conclave wishes to see you all now," she said in a smooth voice. "Follow me there, and greet the Conclave's Twelve. Your fifth companion will join you."

"Okay, we're coming," Viktor said, putting the cards back into his pockets, making sure to preserve their order. He and the others followed the elf woman through the corridors, and they met Devin part way there. He had bandages on one arm.

When they reached a massive set of double doors, the elf woman bowed and said, "You may enter the Conclave's chamber," then left. The two doors opened on their own, admitting the five inward.

The room beyond was huge, with the domed ceiling almost a hundred feet above. The room was circular, and along the edges, plants grew in a strip of soil going all around the room. High above was a stone platform, with twelve beautiful dryads on it. The platform descended like magic until the twelve dryads were eye level with the newcomers. They had been singing a delicate and slow song, but stopped when they came down. Above, there was a parapet going around the room, with dozens of other dryads standing there, singing their own quiet chorus.

"Welcome, outsiders, to the Conclave," one of the twelve dryads said. "We have seen you since you arrived, and we are most pleased with what we see."

"Wait, how have you seen us?" Ashley asked.

"Our pool of sight," the dryad said, indicating a shallow basin of water on the platform. "Our magic lets us scry whomever we desire, except those who reside in a guild hall. The five of you exhibit phenomenal magical power, and we wished to offer a place in our Selesnya guild for its use."

"But why should we join?" Viktor asked. "Why can't we leave and be on our way?"

"The city without nature holds no peace," another dryad said. "Battle rages between the guild ten, no place for young ones such as yourselves. We know not where you come from, but you are all clearly new to this plane. The other guilds would recruit you, of course. But the Selesnya will treat you the kindest, with the maiden's touch of nature herself. Promise us good service, and you will be well-prepared for the world outside when you truly desire leaving us."

This argument sounded fairly convincing, and some of the others agreed. But Viktor was not entirely sure that the Selesnya could be trusted, with their fearsome beasts and crazy nature talk.

"Can we be quite sure you don't plan on throwing us away like fodder in battle with the other guilds?" Viktor asked.

"Some of us face that position, but not those such as yourselves," the first dyad said. "Such magical power cannot be wasted as fodder for Gruul war plows, or Rakdos fire-demons. Rather, we may grant you all positions as high clerics, with duty and honor of the highest kind. You may also serve as ambassadors to other guilds and entities."

Viktor couldn't possibly argue these points, and the idea of becoming a guild member suddenly appealed to him. Confident that the others shared his eagerness, Viktor said, "All right, Conclave. We swear allegiance to you and your guild."

"Our deepest appreciation, humans," the dryad said. "Very well. Pala! Please escort our recruits to the training arena. Their full magic potential is to be realized at once."

A tall, fair elven lady stepped forward, her light green gown trailing the mossy floor. She was Pala. "Accompany me, good recruits, and may your training begin well." She set off, and the group once again followed a leader to their destination.

Viktor felt the new Selesnya robe that he wore. The fabric was thick, but soft and light and had a downy texture on the inside. The colors were a pattern of mossy green and pearly white, with white trim. These were recruit robes; the other guidmages they had seen wore the cloaks of full members of the Selesnya guild.

"Here, our new members test their magical abilities, and their natural talents are realized," Pala explained as they all walked across the massive training arena. "Healer types are placed in one division, saproling masters in another, plus other types. Please stand where you are to be tested."

Around them, other Selesnya members milled about on their own businesses. A pair of loxodons, or elephant clerics, had passed by, sharing a scroll to read. While Viktor and his friends had been heading here through Vitu-Ghazi's halls, he had seen a massive Phytohydra with hundreds of heads was being dragged into a room. The creature was hissing and screeching in protest, and trying to bite its escorts. Magic shields kept the mages safe from the plant creature while they dragged it down the hall and into the room.

"When our Phytohydras grow too big, they become rebellious and impossible to tame," Pala had explained. "At that stage, they are taken to fire chambers, where special Rakdos-invented fires burn them away. Their ashes help fertilize soil to grow new ones." This was a good example of how the guilds helped one another, despite their feuds. The guildpact had forged loose alliance between them that connected the ten guilds on a sub-level.

Viktor and the others stood in the windswept arena, and Pala walked about them. "Now, show me your power," she said to Viktor.

"Um…" Viktor mumbled, wondering what to do. What _was _his power, anyway? All he had were the clothes on his back, and…

"Cards," he realized as he took them out of his pockets.

"What are those?" Pala asked, inspecting them. "Do they contain spells?"

"I guess," Viktor said, his mind racing to come up with a way to harness their power to impress Pala. Otherwise, they had no place here in the guild. He looked over the individual cards, and tried giving them commands.

"Appear!" he declared, holding out his Thorn Elemental card. Nothing happened.

"What sort of command is that?" Pala asked in amusement. "I surely hope that 'appear!' isn't really the proper incantation." Devin rolled his eyes and Ashley suppressed a giggle.

Feeling slightly humiliated, Viktor tried again. "Be summoned!"

Nothing.

"Join me for battle!"

Nothing.

"Manifest yourself, you bastard, and stop wasting my time!" Viktor growled at the card. Ashley was trying very hard not to laugh.

"This stupid Thorn Elemental isn't working," Viktor sighed, giving up. In his fingers, the card suddenly trembled slightly. "Huh?" Viktor asked in surprise. "It started to work! I think I have to say its name. Okay… Thorn Elemental!"

At once, a dazzling bright light shone from the card's picture, and Viktor dropped the card in surprise. From the picture erupted a huge mass of brown, forming two arms, legs, and a torso. The full Thorn Elemental, thirty feet tall, stood proudly among the surprised kids. It rumbled a greeting, its voice beastly and primeval.

"Excellent work, lad!" Pala praised. "I have not seen this beast before, but it is most impressive."

Catching on, the others gathered their decks and tried summoning their own creatures.

"Takeno, Samurai General!" Makoto declared, and the said samurai stood before his summoner. The samurai whipped his sword in a complex warm up pattern, sheathed it, and said, "Good day, Master!" in a brisk and authoritative tone. Devin found himself face-to-face with a Spitebellows from a Lorwyn card, and Sengir Vampire floated before Kelly, bowing in submission.

"Perhaps one-on-one battles will determine your strengths," Pala suggested, clearly nervous of all the creatures. She backed away.

"Let's try it!" Devin said, stepping back. "Come on, Viktor, you and me. Bring it on!"

"Okay," Viktor agreed, holding his deck in one hand. He drew a card, and it was Vine Trellis. He held out the card and said, "Vine Trellis!" The creature erupted from the card, taking its place. Devin responded with a Goblin Warrior, and Viktor answered with Fighting Drake. The creature fought one another with fearless bravado, showing no fear of death or pain. Sorceries and Instants were played similarly, with their effects activating with the card. Giant Growth literally made the Fighting Drake bigger, to a 5/7 beast. To unsummon the creatures, they had to say "Return!" while holding the card and thinking of the appropriate creature. When they were done testing the creatures, Pala came and ordered them to begin training in Selesnya magic instead.

Other Selesnya creatures were training, too. A group of guildmages was making saprolings, seeing who could make the most, and the fastest. Elf warriors clashed swords, loxodons honed their protective arts, and elvish archers perfected their aim. The archers were the unusual creatures. They stood on a balcony, firing their arrows high up and out of sight. It appeared that they were shooting at the top part of the city tree.

"What are they shooting at?" Devin asked Pala as he struggled to create a saproling. "I can't see their targets."

"Take these lenses and see," Pala said, handing him a small collapsible telescope. Peering through the lens, Viktor saw that stuffed dummies were staked in a row at the roof of the Conclave's tower. They had rings painted on them, and the arrows hit with stunning aim. But the top of the tower was nearly a thousand feet from where the archers stood.

"What's their strike range?" Viktor asked, nodding at the archers.

"What's their strike range, you ask?" Pala said, grinning and shaking her head. "Let's put it this way: sagittars aim their bows using _maps. _This range is only a thousand feet. They could easily hit a target from twice that distance, and with deadly accuracy."

Feeling mingled amazement and fear, Viktor watched the sagittars pull their arrows back and loose another round. If these Selesnya followers were to turn on him…

"Focus your energies on the saproling, Viktor," Pala said, pulling Viktor's thoughts back to what he was doing. "You need to harden the wood, and increase how much fiber goes into it. And the arms need to be longer."

"Yes, ma'am," Viktor said, trying again. At last, a fully formed saproling stood, looking around with its faceless crystal head. It looked up at Viktor and made a soft cooing sound.

"Very good," Pala praised. "Now, let me see you double its size…"

Ten minutes later, Viktor had a squad of ten saprolings standing in a circle around him, and his friends had the same success. Ashley and Kelly had two or three each, Makoto had six, and Devin had twelve of the things standing around him.

Just then, an elf man riding a giant white wolf came galloping in to the training arena, his mount panting with effort. He halted the wolf and dismounted.

"Lithus, I wasn't expecting you," Pala said, greeting him. "What is your purpose here?"

Lithus saluted Pala and said, "Captain Tolsimir told me that the Gruul are asserting a presence in the southern market square, lady Pala. He wants the Conclave to consider sending a force there to drive them off. There are important sorcery plants and soils sold there, some of which we direly need. The Gruul are trying to steal from the shopkeepers for the plants to engineer a race of plant-based giant warriors. I think that Borborygmos made a deal with the Simic to make the plant giants. I think… some of those plants are Phytohydra related."

"Thank you for the news, Lithus," Pala said, and dismissed him. "Tell Captain Tolsimir that force isn't the only option. We could send a team of negotiators over to settle things."

"Yes, ma'am," Lithus said, remounting his wolf and departing.

"That was a messenger from the Wolf Rider Squad," Pala told the five kids. "Tolsimir WolfBlood is their leader, and the finest warrior the Selesnya guild has ever seen. Be sure to courtesy Tolsimir if you ever run into him."

"We will," Viktor said, nodding.

Four days later, Viktor and the others had to agree that they had progressed greatly in the Selesnya guild. With their power of summoning creatures from cards, and from having some hidden power Pala kept talking about, the five of them became full guildmages. They were even allowed to help train new recruits, teaching them Selesnya magic. Other times, they watered the many different plants in the Great Garden, studied loxodon scrolls, and helped tame Phytohydras. Often, Devin would not come back to their room until late in the evening. He said he was running errands for the dryads, but Viktor was sure that he was actually seeing the head healer, Alana. Viktor didn't mention this to anyone else, but he was sure that the no good could come of the relationship.

On the fifth day, Pala entered their room after knocking, and said, "The Conclave has discussed and debated a course of action for the Gruul plant-giant project, and has decided to send an envoy to attempt negotiations. You five, plus one of our senior advisors, have been hand-picked for this task."

"Really?" Makoto asked, sitting up on the bed. "When do we leave?"

"When the sun reaches its highest point in the sky," Pala answered. "Carry out whatever tasks you have for you beforehand."

Four hours later, the five of them were descending the ethereal ramp that connected Vitu-Ghazi with the rest of Ravnica. The senior advisor, a vedalken named Herik, walked with them in silence. He was apparently going over arguments in his head for the coming debate.

The streets of Ravnica were no less interesting than they were the first day Viktor had seen them. Humans, goblins, elves, half-elves, vedalken, and others filled the streets and market squares. Giants lumbered few and far between, sometimes carrying massive crates of produce, or walking rhino-sized dog creatures. Wizards made up a surprising percentage of the crowd, from old, bearded men with long cloaks and pointed hats, to young whip-snappers with magical energy crackling at their fingertips. The vendors sold all sorts of items at various prices: magical scrolls, precious gems, vegetables and meats, daggers, maps, and even dragon teeth that the vendor claimed were from the last dragons Niv-Mizzet had hunted down. There were merfolk fins sold as good luck charms, Boros helmets open for haggling, Orzhov deal arrangement papers to be filled out, and a recruiting booth for the Azorius Senate.

"You can find just about anything here," Kelly noted, impressed. "I haven't even heard of half of these things."

"Oooooh! Look at these!" Ashley squealed, dashing over to a pet vendor. The vedalken behind the main stand was rattling prices and breeding information of what he called "The best Simic-created pets you'll find in all of Ravnica!" There were horned rabbits, dog-sized cats with purple fur, fish with near-human intelligence, and birds with mind-reading abilities and superiority complexes to boot.

"I'd like this one!" Ashley told the vedalken, holding up a gerbil. The animal was also nearly as big as a puppy.

"All right, twenty gold coins," the man said, eyeing the gerbil.

"I, uh…" Ashley said, realizing that she had no money. She fumbled in her deck, then produced her Icatian Moneychanger card. The man burst out of the card, looking surprised at his surroundings.

"I need twenty gold coins," Ashley told him. The fat banker man nodded, saying, "As you wish, my Lady," and produced the money. Ashley handed the coins to the befuddled vedalken merchant, who hesitantly accepted them and handed over the gerbil.

The animal sat in Ashley's cupped hands, studying her with its beady black eyes. "So, what's your name?" the gerbil asked her in a human voice.

Ashley yelped in shock and nearly dropped the gerbil. She caught him and held him up to eye level, not believing her ears. "You can talk?" she breathed.

"Yeah, sure I can," the gerbil responded. He had a tenor voice, and talked slightly quickly. His voice was slightly high-pitched. "What did you expect from the Simic growth chambers, some boring giant gerbil? The Simic engineers made me interesting by giving me intelligence and the ability to talk. But enough about me. What's your name, girl?"

"I'm Ashley," she said. "Ashley Logan. Do you have a name, or do I give you one?"

"Good heavens, girl, of course you name me!" the gerbil said in a well-duh tone. He stamped his little feet. "What, and have that merchant buffoon give me some boring title to go by? You're my owner; you name me. But please, _don't _be like other people and name me after your favorite guild. It drives me nuts, I tell you. I can't even begin to tell you how many gerbils and birds go home named 'Razia' or 'Niv-Mizzet' or 'Savra'. And gods _forbid_ you call me Grand Arbiter Augustine IV." He shuddered.

"Okay, I'll call you something else," Ashley said, pondering. "How about… I know! Gerbie! Because you're a gerbil!"

"Huh… Gerbie?" the gerbil repeated, thoughtfully toying with the silly name. "Uhhh, all right then, Gerbie it is. It beats 'Borborygmos' by a long shot, at least. I'll never forget the words that gerbil made when he got that name. Badmouthing his master all the way home."

"All right, Gerbie!" Ashley said, gently placing him in a pocket of her jeans. "Just stay right there." She rejoined the others, who watched in amusement. They resumed their walk to the Gruul emplacement.

"Just who are these people?" Gerbie asked. "Are they your family?"

"No, they're my friends," Ashley explained. "See, this is Viktor, Devin, my sister Kelly, and a Selesnya advisor coming with us. We're going to negotiate with a Gruul force to get them to abandon their hold on the southern market."

"Ahhh, dirty Gruul bastards go after whatever pleases them," Gerbie muttered. "What're they up to now? Collecting beggar heads?"

"Oh, no," Ashley said. "They're stealing magic plants to try to make a race of Phytohydra-based giants that the Simic are helping them to make."

"Holy Sky Swallowers! My Simic masters working with Gruul beasts to make super-giants? Oh, the shame my creators give me! Great Mormir Vig must have better projects up his sleeve than that. Ashley, you and the others had _better _convince them to give it up! The shame!"

Gerbie grumbled to himself all the way to the Gruul emplacement. Apparently, he was proud of the guild that that created him, and disliked the very notion of the Simic working with the savage Gruul guild. Soon, Gruul creatures were seen stomping up and down the street. Warriors with green and red armor and stone battle-axes patrolled in squads, and a massive, bulky spider named Solifuge roamed back and forth. Gruul guildmages sat on makeshift wooden stools, watching out for trouble. The pedestrians were forced to divert from this road to a split road. Numbers of Gruul peasants carried sacks full of plants and other items away to a cart with war spikes attached to its front. The driver of the cart whipped a pair of beasts, which snorted and carried the cart away.

Standing with a number of personal guards, the clan leader watched over the happenings. He was half human, half giant, standing ten feet tall. He had thick, scarred armor and a long and rusty sword.

Viktor accompanied the Selesnya advisor in confronting the clan leader.

"Whatcha want, huh?" the man-giant grunted. His guards raised their weapons in preparation for battle. "Got a problem with is bein' here?"  
"By the order of the Selesnya conclave, we must discuss your actions here in the market," Herik said firmly. "Will your counselors sit down for a discussion?"

"A better discussion would be the winner of a deathmatch," the clan leader said, crossing his massive arms. "But fine. Hek! Kitae! Mookoo! Do your arguing with this man and his children escort." At his command, three men in green and red robes walked forward. They looked civilized, at least, but they were the voice of the ferocious Gruul, so they would carry that trait in their speech.

"Seat yourselves," one of them said, pulling over a wooden table. Everyone sat, the Selesnya on one side, the Gruul on the other.

"So, why don't we have a pleasant little chat?" Gerbie said cheerfully. "Mind your manners, everyone, and no kicking under the table!"

"Quiet!" Ashley hissed at the Gerbie, and the animal cowered and sank deeper into her pocket. The Gruul negotiators: Hek, Kitae, and Mookoo weren't impressed.

"Indeed, keep your Simic creature quiet," Hek said politely but with an angry overtone.

"I beg your pardon?" Gerbie said, sounding affronted. He came back out of Ashley's pocket and climbed onto the table. "I'm the pinnacle of Mormir Vig's bioengineering genius. Don't you say another word against the great Simic guild, or I'll —"

He was interrupted by Hek slamming a wooden goblet over Gerbie, muffling his outcries. "Now, we may talk in peace," Kitae said, producing a parchment map. He unrolled it and spread it across the table. "You see, we plan to use the rare plants sold here to create a race of giants that share characteristics of the Phytohydra plant. The Orzhov dealmakers helped settle the terms, and the Simic spawning vats will produce the giants."

"Abomination!" Gerbie declared from under the goblet. Kitae ignored him. "When harmed, they will instead increase muscle mass and mental aggression levels, creating the perfect warrior," Kitae went on. "We've taken this section." He traced his finger around a section of the market road.

"What makes you believe that we will stand for holding up innocent marketers for their wares?" Herik said, folding his fingers. "Surely you can bargain with the storeowners for the plants and be satisfied with that."

"We are the Gruul," Mookoo said. "We are also part of the RedFang clan, one of the more pushy ones. Certainly could we bargain with the owners. But our clan leader won't settle for merchant work. He wants results _now. _The Rakdos have been even worse than us, torching and maiming those who refuse to offer discounts to them. What we are doing is nothing."

"If the Rakdos are torching shopkeepers, that ought to get Azorius attention," Herik said. "They would capture the violators and throw them to jail. But I've heard nothing of it."

"You must have poor ears, then," Hek said. He indicated a larger section of the map. "We plan to have a heavy presence here, with the help of our super giants. It's to protect the people from Rakdos goblin fire-fighters and Ickspitters, who cause only trouble for their own enjoyment. I know what we do is harsh, but it is better than letting the Rakdos have their way here."

"Couldn't the Azorius handle the Rakdos if they spread their rampages here?" Viktor asked.

"They could try, but some of these products are especially dangerous in Rakdos hands," Mookoo said. "Some of these fire weeds would make Rakdos guildmages perfect anti-First-Wing artillery. With these products, the Rakdos would be the terror of this region. We, the Gruul, wish to prevent that."

"Maybe the Orzhov could make a contract with the Rakdos to halt their rampages?" Kelly suggested. "The Orzhov is the Church of Deals. I'm sure that the Rakdos would agree to something."

"The Orzhov Church makes the best deals around, yes," Hek said. "The Rakdos have been curbed by them before. We may ask them to try it again, but I can't guarantee that the Rakdos will agree this time around."

"Then in the meantime, halt your gathering and bullying here," Herik said, standing up. "I have heard quite enough. A trip to the Orzhov church will be in order. Postpone your agreement with the Simic guild, if you will. This can be easily settled without bloodshed. If we can —"

His words were interrupted by a bird's screech. An eagle swooped in out of nowhere, and settled on the table. Its feathers were white and green; clearly, a Selesnya messenger bird. The eagle cocked its head, studying Herik with its black eyes. A piece of paper was tied to one leg by string.

"Allow me a moment," Herik told the Gruul negotiators, taking the paper off the bird's leg. He fed it a small treat item, which it ate, then it flew off. Herik scanned the note's lines quickly, and a worried frown crossed his face. He folded it and stuffed it into his cloak's inside pocket.

"Viktor, Devin, all of you," he said. "Get up and come with me back to the city tree. A massive Izzet force has arrived and is laying siege to our great tree home. Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind is present at the carnage. We haven't a moment to spare."

The others digested this, then nodded and stood up. Ashley collected Gerbie from the table and put him in her pocket. "If you follow me," Herik said, and he snapped his fingers. A green cracking portal opened, leading to a waypoint at Vitu-Ghazi. He stepped through it, and the five others followed suit.


	3. Chapter 3

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 3

By Louis Kemner 2008

The magic portal quickly transported Viktor and the others back to Vitu-Ghazi's training arena, and it closed behind them, fading into nothing. The Izzet force had launched hundreds of units to the front, and everywhere he looked, Viktor saw Dragonauts and Sagittars trading fire, loxodons clashing with Weirds, and armies of saprolings going against waves of Izzet goblins and mages. The battle was massive, noisy, and dangerous.

"Holy Sky Swallowers," Gerbie exclaimed.

"Quickly, gather your power and defend our home," Herik said, materializing a wooden staff. "Your powers are great; that's why you all were promoted to High Clerics so quickly. Summon your creatures and give your life for the Conclave!" with that, he ran off to join the other mages.

Viktor fished his deck out of his pocket, and held it out. "I guess were better," he said, then summoned Fighting Drake and Thorn Elemental. As the creatures materialized, a squad of Dragonauts whined overhead, throwing a volley of red and blue energy bombs at them. The projectiles exploded on the ground, leaving large craters. One of them hit the Thorn Elemental, scorching its wooden body. It rumbled in protest, then swept one of its massive, thorny hands, catching one of the Dragonauts. The two faerie wizards cried in protest as the Elemental crushed their flying apparatus and sent them crashing to the ground.

"Yeah! That's the way to do it!" Viktor cheered. "Fighting Drake, help the Sagittars! They need help!" the drake screeched an acknowledgement, and flew off to the Sagittar-Dragonaut front. Despite the small victory, Izzet forces were closing in, pushing the Selesnya troops back. Several red-and-blue Djinn Illuminatuses were floating along, replicating everyone's spells. When a Dragonaut would throw an energy ball, the Djinns would replicate one ball into four, multiplying the Dragonauts' effectiveness. In addition, Izzet mages cast fire of their own, as well as sprays of green acid that corroded saprolings.

"Let's get this on the road," Makoto said, and summoned Takeno and Nagao, Bound By Honor. "We gladly answer battle's call, and will give our lives for the Bushido code!" Takeno roared, drawing his massive katana and flourishing it. Makoto also cast Battle-Mad Ronin, who at once bound after the nearest Izzet mage and sliced him in half. Nagao and Takeno ran off, swords raised. They were excellent warriors; the Izzet mages were helpless against them. The samurais' swords flashed silver, leaving trails of dead mages, goblins, and downed Dragonauts. Even a Petrahydrox was no match for them. It bashed Nagao with its bulky arms, but the samurai was strengthened by the match. He swept his sword, renting the Weird into pieces.

The others summoned their creatures as well. Devin had a Llanowar Behemoth rolling into battle, aided by Lunk Errant from Lorwyn. Kelly sent Sengir Vampire after a stranded Djinn, and the Sengir Vampire killed the surprised Djinn and leeched the blood out of its body. Sengir Vampire licked his bloodied lips, grinning with pleasure. Ashley had sent Sky Hussar into battle, who clashed with Dragonauts. It successfully downed two, but it was overcome by the others. Quickly, Kelly cast Plumes of Peace, and the white doves flocked the Dragonauts. The Dragonauts looked puzzled, then went limp, simply hovering where they were. Sky Hussar had little difficulty dispatching them.

As they fought, Viktor noted that Ashley's fighting style was not offense, and her creatures had difficulty fighting without her casting support spells. At the others' requests, Ashley was able to protect the other summoned creatures with Plumes of Peace, Minister of Impediments, Mending Hands, and other spells. The five made an excellent fighting team, tearing apart whatever Izzet forces got in their way.

Unfortunately, the tide of battle steered in favor of the Izzet invaders. The Selesnya were still being pushed back, and they suffered heavier casualties than the Izzet. Worse, Niv-Mizzet himself appeared. The massive dragon was well over a hundred feet long, with legs and talons that could crush buildings. Fleshy frills on Niv-Mizzet's head made him look like a hooded lizard, but a hooded lizard couldn't breathe fire. Every time a Dragonaut or Izzet mage cast fire, a particle of that energy flew into Niv-Mizzet's open mouth, focusing into a concentrated ball of fire and plasma.

He fired fire streams from that collected energy, never tiring due to his constant input of energy. His great purple wings flapped to keep him circling the City-Tree, making loud thumps whenever they flapped down.

"We must stop Niv-Mizzet from attacking!" an archer told Viktor. "If we can make it too dangerous for him to attack, he'll retreat to save his life."

"We've already started doing that," another archer told the first, pointing. In the center of the training arena, twenty mages were assembled in a massive circle, with a ring of green energy binding them together. The ground under them was beginning to crack, as though some beast was trying to escape. But the stationary mages made easy targets, and the Dragonauts threw energy balls at them, suppressing their magic.

The Sagittars fired arrows at the Dragonauts, who retreated to safety from the deadly arrows. However, a group of Gelectodes advanced, firing jolts of red lightning from their bodies and zapping the Selesnya mages, who began to fall. The Gelectodes were too late, though, to stop the communal spell from completing. The ground burst away like volcano, and an unthinkably massive Wurm erupted like a monster from legend. Viktor recognized it as the Autochthon Wurm! The great beast sported silver metal-like carapace on its head, a beak-like mouth, a body of incomparable size, and an appetite to match. Though its summoners were dead, the Autochthon Wurm gave a screeching bellow that made the Izzets' blood run dead cold. It snapped its massive jaws, then head-butted a platoon of Izzet mages and Weirds, obliterating them all. Dragonauts buzzed around it like flies, throwing energy balls. But those balls left only scorch marks on the Wurm's carapace, and it ignored them.

Perhaps the Dragonaut air threat was mute, but not Niv-Mizzet himself. The wise and ferocious dragon gave snarl and bore down on the Autochthon Wurm, loosing a stream of fire that made the Wurm howl in protest. The two giants clashed, and grappled at each other with their jaws. Niv-Mizzet crunched the Wurm's armor with his jaws, but the Wurm had a grip on Niv-Mizzet's left front arm, and with a crunch, severed it.

Viktor expected blood to pour from the wound, but he was in for a surprise. Rather than blood, electric blue glop cascaded from the wound, and the decapitated leg started to dissolve as it fell. By the time it hit the ground, it had reduced itself to a blue-red ooze mass that burned at the stone underneath it. Then, Niv-Mizzet began to inflate like a giant balloon. He swelled and puffed, and his red scales groaned with the strain. All of a sudden, Niv-Mizzet exploded, sending a shock wave of bright blue plasma everywhere. The explosion injured the Wurm, and the acidic glop covered it and dissolved it in seconds. Nothing was left of it except pieces of its shiny carapace.

Apparently, it was some Izzet replica of the dragon wizard, and not the real one.

The remaining Izzet forces suddenly regrouped, then retreated. They abandoned the battle completely, leaving a suddenly silent carnage field behind.

After some minutes, Makoto whispered, "Is it over?"

The Selesnya survivors clustered in a group, gathering the wounded. More Selesnya forces poured out of Vitu-Ghazi's buildings, to find the field of death stretched before them. Viktor, Devin, Makoto, Ashley, and Kelly dumbfoundedly joined the other Selesnya, sharing the grief for the dead. Devin turned to the ring of mages that had summoned the Wurm, and gave a gasp.

"Wait, where are you going?" Viktor asked him. Devin ignored him and tore after the dead mages, then crouched by one of them. It was a female elf, with beautiful features ruined by the Dragonauts' energy balls. Devin saw that Alana, the maiden who had cared for him when he arrived at Vitu-Ghazi, was dead. She had been company for him, and they had shared a home in the city tree. Feeling terrible, he shakily walked back to the guild mages and said, "Alana is dead."

"Is she?" one mage said. "I regret the news. She was one of our finest healers and warriors. No one told her to help summon the Wurm, but her efforts are appreciated. She gave her life for the good of the Conclave, like the others."

"What will happen to her? Will she be buried?" Devin asked anxiously.

"No, a communal grave will do," the mage said. "Though she had talent, the Selesnya do not make distinct individuals. Nature herself makes no champions. We are not the Golgari, who prefer personal success by nature's natural selection. We are a swarm, and will mourn the dead and create members anew."

"What?" Devin snapped angrily. Viktor and the others noticed his outburst, but said nothing. "How can you say that? She… she was special. She healed me, and taught me magic. You said she was a great mage. How can she not be honored?"

"I, too, acknowledge that she was noteworthy," the mage said, clearly not wanting to continue the discussion. "She will have a place in a mass grave, and may her body nourish a new generation of the Conclave's defenders."

"Aaaargh! You can't do this!" Devin roared. "She fought heroically, she ought to be respected! You can't treat her like a… ordinary cannon fodder or anything! Don't disrespect her!"

"We mean no disrespect!" the mage snapped. "This is our way. Accept it, or live in grief!"

"To _Hell _with you all!" Devin cried, and swung his closed fist. The mage's head was knocked to the side from the blow. Anger quickly crossed his face, and the other shocked mages moved to suppress Devin. However, Devin summoned a dragon creature, and the beast drove the Selesnya mages back. Devin himself ran toward the ramp connecting Vitu-Ghazi to the rest of Ravnica.

"Devin! Stop!" Kelly cried, chasing after him. "Where are you going?!"

"Shut up!" Devin yelled over his shoulder. He descended the ramp, using its magic to propel him to higher speeds. He was soon out of sight.

"Damn it!" Kelly cursed, watching him leave. "What's going on?"

"He had a relationship with that elf woman," Makoto said in slight disgust. "They were pretty _close, _too. He's angry that the Conclave is treating her like any other mage, and not as someone special. I can see how that would upset him, but leaving us and attacking? This doesn't add up."

"He's stupid, that's why," Viktor said angrily. "He's over-reacting. I know him; he's usually cool, but this is different, somehow. I think there's some other factor at work here."

"Like what?" Makoto asked.

"I dunno," Viktor said. "But I think we better find out soon."

Ashley had been staring where Devin had left. "I'm going after him," she said abruptly. "We can't just let him run off like that. I'll find him and bring him back here. I won't take long."

"How are you going to do that?" Kelly asked. In answer, Ashley summoned her Sky Hussar creature, and mounted the bird's back with the human knight already there. "I'll fly with Hussar," Ashley said. "I'll be safe, Kelly."

"Make sure of that," Kelly said. Ashley nodded, then with a verbal command, the Sky Hussar took off from the ground and flapped off.

Devin wandered quickly through Ravnica's endless streets, through the multi-race crowds and past vendors and restaurants. What exactly was he looking for? Devin could feel the pull of some destination, but couldn't tell what it was, or why he was after it. He felt the iron need within him to take a certain course of action, like he had some destiny to fulfill. The foul Selesnya had sacrificed Alana, _his _Alana, and dismissed her as some commoner to be tossed into a mass grave. This couldn't be! No guild that had a mindset like that could deserve to exist. He had to find a way to bring it back to them!

Walking through a thinly crowded avenue, Devin saw that taller and darker buildings lined the street. The area had a strange aura to it, as though some huge spiritual presence were there. Devin walked a little further, and found the doors to a massive church. The building was made of light gray stone and stretched ups several levels. Dark, narrow windows lined the walls, and intricate pillars held the walls in place. In engraved letters above the wooden double doors were the words: **Orzhova Church**_. _Below that was The Church of Deals.

Church of deals? That certainly sounded enticing to Devin's ears. Perhaps this Orzhov guild could make some agreement with him to get back at the Selesnya! Without another thought, he pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside.

The air abruptly grew chillier, and felt heavier. His footsteps echoed loudly off the polished marble floor. He was in a small entrance hall, with paintings of weird people lining the walls, and statues in between them. He heard a sudden moan, and turned. An archway led to rough stone steps to a lower level, which was lit by torches on the walls. More moans and wails reverberated from the space beyond, begging for release and crying out in distress. The sound was haunting and chilling, and made Devin's skin crawl. It was a dungeon.

"So, listening to our prisoners wail their lungs out?" a voice asked, and Devin jumped. He whipped around, and an older man stood right there. He had malicious eyes, a hooked beak nose, pale skin from lack of sun, and long, dark fingernails. He wore an expensive outfit, of royal-looking clothes, with a medallion that depicted the Orzhov guild symbol. He wore a cloak over his other clothes, which was mainly darkish white, with black patches. It also had a high collar, making the man look like a vampire.

"W-who are you?" Devin asked, taking in the fearsome older man.

"That's what I ought to be asking you," the man responded. "Do you have business with us, lad? Or are you sightseeing for fun? If you are, I can show you the dungeons." He motioned toward the wail-filled lower level with his clawed hand.

"N… no, I'm not sightseeing," Devin said, gathering his courage and will. He was here for a reason. "I came here to make a deal with your church. This is the guild of deals, isn't it?"

"Of course, of course," the man said, with empty warmth. "That is the Orzhov Church; we make deals, and agreements. Both sides always benefit. What do you propose?"

"Power," Devin answered. "I want vengeance at the Selesnya."

"Is that so?" the man said thoughtfully, stroking his chin with his long nails. "Well, then. Follow me, lad, to my office."

Devin accompanied the man through the church's hall, and they passed by the open doors to the cathedral room, where rows of plum-colored pews faced the priest's podium. Pearl gargoyles parched on ledges on the walls, gazing down at the pews with their ugly and menacing faces. The windows were tall and pointed at the top, tinted gray and yellow. A massive organ rested at the back wall, its imposing pipes silent. A chorus of priests stood in a group, dressed in white robes with dark gray trimming. They sang a haunting and chilling song that included the lines:

_Oh, wise men, wealthy men, men of Ravnica,_

_Come to the Orzhov Church, find your life renewed._

_Young ones, without knowledge of the world,_

_We shall grant you power and knowledge,_

_And you trade us your wealth and allegiance._

_Old men, wise men, of many years_

_We can make you young again._

_We shall grant your flesh the joys of youth,_

_And you shall trade us your wealth and might._

"Come along, don't dawdle," the main said, tugging on Devin's arm. Devin wrenched his attention from the haunting chorus and creepy gargoyles, and followed the man. They went along a hallway lined with doors, and the man pushed one open and led Devin inside, closing the door behind him. The wood door thumped closed, its metal parts rattling.

"Now, be seated," the man said, sitting behind a desk. Devin sat in the sturdy wood chair facing the desk, unable to keep his eyes away from the man's own black ones.

"Ah, of course, you should know my name," he said, snapping his fingers. "I am Felden, the top Orzhov recruiter. Some know me as Felden the Whipper, but I still haven't figured out why. What's wrong with a servant who needs better obedience? I'll call the drinks."

He gripped his Orzhov medallion with his left hand and clicked the fingers with his right, holding the hand high in the air. In a few seconds, the door opened and a girl around Devin's age came in. She wore ragged brown clothes, was somewhat unclean, had the Orzhov emblem tattooed to her arm in black ink, and had a nervous expression. She carried a tray with two wine glasses and a bottle of wine, and set the contents down on the table, but nearly knocked the wine bottle to the floor. Felden narrowly caught the bottle.

"Be careful, you pathetic wurm!" he snarled at her, setting the bottle onto his desk beside a stack of unrolled scrolls. "I'm trying to recruit here! Fewer people are signing up; we can't afford to displease those who do. Take your coin and leave." He rummaged in his clothes for a single gold coin, and pressed it into her hand. She accepted it and stood there, looking like she was about to say something. She indeed started to mutter an apology, but Felden snapped, "I said get _out, _you little bit of filth! What, do you expect another gold coin for apologizing? Leave before you're tossed to the prisons!"

The girl squeaked and rushed out of the room, not closing the door behind her. Muttering to himself, Felden got up and closed it, then sat back down.

"I apologize for that," he said as he poured wine into one glass, then the other. "I keep several servants, like the other officials. Those who can't pay off their debts become our maids and butlers, paid one gold coin at a time until they pay off their debts and go free. Elani there is only halfway there; she's been trying to get more gold. But that's not how the systems works." He chuckled took a sip of wine. "Now, fill me in. What deal do you have in mind?"

"I want revenge," Devin hissed, not touching his wine. "The Selesnya have wronged me and my woman."

"Your woman, eh?" Felden mused, swilling his deep red wine. His Orzhov medallion shone in the overhead lantern's light. "You got close to one of their Evangels?"

"That's right. She was Alana, one of the higher members," Devin answered. "She was sacrificed! She died just to summon a Wurm that fought a Niv-Mizzet replica, and it was killed. Then, a guildmage told me that Alana would be tossed into a mass grave and not get respect! Something about nature not having heroes or something."

"Hmmm, yes, that's correct," Felden said, taking another sip of wine. "The Selesnya guild is known for its reverence of nature, and nature's ways. The trees and vines of the wild will hardly form a shrine for an especially deadly fox's death. They de-emphasize the individual. I can understand your stance, Devin. I see that you felt cheated by not having your loved one being honored in death. That is why the Orzhov guild is more than happy to help you in your time of need."

"I must have vengeance," Devin said, gripping the desk before him. "I can't explain it, Felden, but I feel a burning need to strike back. Some force in me compels me to do this. I know it is what I must do."

"Well then, it's easy to say that you must gain power, and lots of it," Felden said. "Certainly we can grant that to you."

"Will I have Orzhov soldiers fighting with me?" Devin asked.

"We have no need for military might," Felden answered. "We wield two of the sharpest swords ever forged: Faith in our left hand, Wealth in our right. What magic power do you have right now, if any?"

"I have this," Devin answered, pulling out his deck. He showed the cards to an intrigued Felden, who looked over the green and red creatures.

"I can summon any creature I want out of those cards, at any time," Devin explained as Felden rifled through them. "I can cast non-creature spells, too."

"I like it," Felden praised, setting the deck down on the desk. "Where did you come across this power and these cards? I simply must know."

"It's difficult to explain, but it was from a mysterious old wizard in a remote district," Devin invented. He was sure that Felden would raise eyebrows at the explanation that Devin warped through a mysterious portal and had instant power out of nowhere. "He gave them to me as a parting gift."

"My, my," Felden said to himself, finishing his wine in a large gulp. "If you sign your name to our register, Devin, you will be given immediate high standing in our guild, as well as new creatures and spells to command, and will certainly assist Your vengeance is one signature away. Do what you must."

Without hesitation, Devin picked up a griffin-feather quill and scribbled his name onto a list of recruits. He felt sudden chilling warmth in his chest as he did so, as though some magic activated within him. Felden collected the scroll and quill, and led Devin out of the room for training.

The Ghost Council of Orzhova, a collection of several bishop spirits, lurked in the Ghost Hall section of the Orzhov Church. There were nine members in it, all of whom resembled humans draped in sheets, with glowing red eyes and knobby, spidery fingers and hands. The ninth and main ghost Eranthor, looked different from the others. He had a distinct face, with a bald head, brighter eyes, and large hands. Fog-like magic vapors drifted all about the room, the essence of the ghosts' energies. The hall was intricate, with pillars lining the sides and a curving roof. A single stone door separated the Ghost Hall from the rest of the church. It opened, and Felden the head recruiter came in.

"Well, well. Felden," Eranthor said in greeting. His voice was deep, slow, and echoed throughout the room. It reminded many people of a sleepy dragon waking from slumber. "What news do you bring the Ghost Council?"

Felden bowed, then straightened. "I've met an interesting young man, Your Reverence," Felden said. "He is Devin, from unknown origins. He shows incredible promise and power. He has arranged for us to give him command of some of our own magics and creatures, and to assault Vitu-Ghazi in vengeance for a slight the Selesnya caused him."

"Taking on the Selesnya?" a second ghost noted. His voice was higher pitched than Eranthor's, but had the same other chilling qualities. "This is most opportune. We have had a chip on our shoulder for those nature-loving fools. Most opportune." A few other ghosts muttered their agreement.

"The boy has unique powers I have never seen," Felden went on. "He showed me a deck of playing cards. These cards—"

"Do you play games with us, recruiter?" Eranthor interrupted. He brought a hand up, and extended the pointing finger so it was crossing his moth horizontally. It was a sign that he was impatient and was demanding something. "Men do not fight with playing cards."

"Your Reverence, I assure you that these cards are anything but ordinary," Felden hastened to explain. "Through some unknown means, he can summon creatures at will from the cards. The creatures are adept fighters. Many dragons and treefolk there, and sorcery power, too. Few of our own creatures could compete with them."

"Is this so?" Eranthor said. "Well, then. We may have a powerful ally by our side. As soon as this Devin is ready, have him assault the Selesnya City-Tree. No time may be wasted. The Selesnya are weakened by the Izzet League's attacks, but the Selesnya recover faster than any other guild. Is there anyone else with these cards?" His voice suddenly changed; it cracked, then sounded higher pitched for a few seconds, almost female. Felden noticed the change, but it vanished before he could say anything.

Eranthor's bass voice went on, "Answer me, recruiter. Find if any others bear these summoning cards. If you do, make sure they swear allegiance to us, or else destroy them."

"Of course, Your Reverence," Felden said, bowing again. "All your orders will be carried out. You will be most pleased, I'm sure." He left the room, and closed the heavy doors behind him with a thump. Eranthor allowed himself a chuckle.


	4. Chapter 4

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 4

By Louis Kemner 2008

The imposing, dark buildings of Ravnica's skyscrapers loomed over Ashley as she swooped slowly and low on her Sky Hussar creature. The knight rider was steering, and accepted Ashley's command for going left, right, up, and so on. The crowds below spared little attention for the griffin and its pair of human riders, since Sky Hussars and Azorius First-Wings regularly patrolled the sky lanes, looking for troublemakers.

"Turn left at this intersection," Ashley told the knight rider, who nodded. Pulling on the reins, the griffin screeched and swooped past a building's edge and flew over the new street. Up ahead, several men stood on a balcony of a building, who wore blue and black robes. They talked among themselves, pointing at Ashley's mount. Ashley suddenly felt misgivings about going this way. There were few people on the street below, and the few who walked along looked shady and strange.

Suddenly, the mages formed bright blue magic spheres in their hands, and hurled them toward Ashley's Sky Hussar. "Look out!" Ashley cried, and the knight commanded the Hussar to roll to avoid the spheres, which hit the building opposite. A flight of arrows came out of nowhere, and the shafts peppered the griffin all along its front. Wounded, the animal fell to the ground, crashing in a heap and tossing Ashley and the knight onto the stone road.

"Ouch! Can't anyone respect innocent pedestrians?" Gerbie complained loudly as he crawled out of Ashley's pocket. He shook himself rather dog-like. "Honestly, back in my day, griffins were treated like birds of paradise! They'd get treats tossed up from vendors and their feathers groomed —"

"Gerbie, hush!" Ashley whispered urgently, stuffing the squirming gerbil back into her pocket. She got the feeling that she should be as quiet as possible. She returned the wounded Sky Hussar and the knight back into her card, and scrambled into an alley, away from the eyes of the mages and pedestrians. Her heart beat faster and harder as she heard several men coming closer, saying, "The Azorius bastard landed somewhere around here. Where's the griffin?"

Ashley realized that she was intruding on private territory, where other guilds were not allowed. This must be Dimir turf, since the mages had blue and black robes, and some of the sidewalk occupants carried secret scrolls or magical bits of people's minds, preserved in glass jars.

Ashley dashed down the alley, taking a bend just as the group of men reached the mouth of the cave. Ashley listened to them say, "Not here, move on," then jogged farther for some minutes. High above, a lone sphinx watched her progress. The animal was perched in a bell tower, with its wings folded and its long black hair waving in a light breeze. Its intelligent eyes tracked Ashley's position.

"So, uh, where we goin'?" Gerbie asked, poking his head out of his pocket.

"We've got to find a safe place, away from here," Ashley whispered back as she navigated around a spilled trash bag. "This must be the Dimir guild's area, and they wouldn't like a stranger looking at their secret places."

"Well, of course," Gerbie said matter-of-factly. "The Dimir guild values its secrecy and anonymity. Some idiots here believe that it doesn't even exist! Load of wurm crap if you ask me. The other nine guilds would make a big deal over the Dimir going out of business, plus the guildpact would be ruined. That would —"

He was interrupted by Ashley crying out and being struck by a glowing plasma web. She fell to the ground, stunned by the net's paralyzing magic. Gerbie squeaked and retreated back into Ashley's pocket. Four Dimir guild workers stepped out of the shadows, one of them having magic residue crackling between his fingers.

"Well, what do we have here?" one of the Dimir men said, nudging Ashley with the toe of his boot. "Some girl wandering through our turf!"

"The Sphinx found her while it was on watch," another said. "The Bell Tower Sphinx found her running through the alley. Maybe she's connected with that Azorius Hussar swooping in here. A spy, I bet."

Ashley tried to argue and tell them she was not a spy, but couldn't: the shock net disabled her mouth, too. She could do little more than swallow and blink. Gerbie, unaffected by the net, trembled in her pocket and kept quiet.

One of the men stooped down, lifted Ashley somewhat, and held a knife to her forehead. She gave a muffled cry in protest, but instead of cutting, the blade withdrew. Trailing from the blade was a glowing silvery substance, and Ashley felt her head growing light.

"That ought to do it," the man said, and then Ashley fell unconscious. He hefted her over his shoulder, and he and the other Dimir men walked away into the shadows.

Viktor and his two remaining companions had helped revitalize Vitu-Ghazi, and the city tree now had its untarnished beauty. The many dead bodies from the Izzet attack had been cremated, along with Alana, the one Devin had gotten in a rage about. As he had been helping repair Vitu-Ghazi with magic, Viktor had been going over Devin's actions. It made sense that Devin would be upset if the woman he liked wasn't treated as someone special. But to run away like that and disappear into Ravnica? It made no sense at all.

In fact, everything that has happened so far seemed a bit off. The Gruul situation seemed very random. The Gruul making a deal with the Simic to make a race of Phytohydra giants? That seemed unlikely. Gerbie may have had a point: it would be an abomination for the Simic to make such a thing for the depraved Gruul Clans. Right as the negotiations were underway, the Izzet had attacked Vitu-Ghazi and nearly destroyed it! Then Devin went all stupid and left. It almost seemed like the Gruul were intentionally keeping Viktor and the others away from Vitu-Ghazi, since their card creatures were powerful and able to turn the tides of battle. It seemed that an unseen force was at work.

"Hey, what's up?" Makoto asked, seeing Viktor stopping his stone reworking while he thought about the recent events. "Something on your mind?"

"It all doesn't seem right," Viktor said as he resumed work. "The Gruul thing, the Izzet attack, and Devin running away all seem weird to me. Like they all happened that way on purpose for some reason. It's like something is building up toward destroying the Selesnya guild."

"That couldn't be," Kelly said as she mended armor plates with moss growth. "The guilds are fighting each other, but don't really gang up on each other as far as that. The Simic, Gruul, and Izzet all combining for attacking us doesn't sound right to me."

"We'll just have to hope that it all comes together for the better," Makoto said bracingly, leaving to help patch a scorch mark some paces away.

Devin, backed by his Orzhov creatures and mages, advanced down the street toward the magic bridge that linked Vitu-Ghazi with the rest of Ravnica. His revenge was minutes away. He could blast these filthy Selesnya away and promote the Orzhov Syndicate. Around him were shadowy Orzhov guild mages, bat-like Blind Hunters, ghost warriors, pearl gargoyles, and other beasts. The helpless Vitu-Ghazi was drawing close, and the fate of the inhabitants was at hand.

Viktor, Makoto, and Kelly had been working diligently when cries came from near where the bridge was. Turning around, they saw that an army of Orzhov beasts and guild mages made its way into the city, slaying the Selesnya warriors around them. Blind Hunters leeched the life out of the elves, collapsing them. Orzhov guild mages stunned the warriors and saprolings who came close, nullifying their attack. And screeching pearl gargoyles, animated by magic, smashed the defenders' defenses.

Viktor and the others prepared for combat, but were surprised when the Orzhov forces stopped their assault and parted in the middle. The cautious Selesnya survivors waited to see what would happen. Stepping out from between two Orzhov guild mages, wearing a cloak of white, gold, and night black, was a grinning Devin.

"Devin!" Viktor cried, recognizing his friend. "What are you doing here? What are these people?" He held several creature cards at the ready.

"Who are these? My servants," Devin answered, gesturing toward the assembled creatures and mages. "They're just my instruments, though, for what I came here to do."

"And what is that?" Kelly demanded.

"To destroy the Selesnya," Devin declared. "These rotten nature freaks must die for what they did to me!"

"Are you talking about Alana? You're crazy!" Viktor reasoned. "How does that justify this?"

"Believe me, it does," Devin answered. "Alana was a hero among the Conclave, but was thrown away like some common soldier! That was the greatest disrespect possible! My dear was thrown into a fire pit to become compost, and I decided it was justified to get even. The Orzhov taught me that the individual can become anything they want, and benefit themselves. I exchanged loyalty to the Orzhov Syndicate, and in return, I get the power to avenge my lost one!" He laughed.

"Okay, this is just a little too much," Kelly said in a deadly quiet. She moved as hand slowly toward her deck, and then whipped out a card. "Skeletal Vampire!" she cried. The vampire burst out of the card with a rattling cry of the dead. Several bats flapped around it like guardians.

"Huh?" Devin said blankly as he saw the vampire soar toward him. Before he could react, the vampire ripped apart an Orzhov gargoyle and leeched its magical blood. The vampire gave a howl of delight and swooped toward Devin next.

"Mortify!" Devin shouted, holding out a hand. The hand glowed black and white, and then surged toward the Skeletal Vampire. The Vampire screeched as the energy warped it and ripped it apart, leaving only the bats behind.

"What?!" Kelly cried, seeing what had happened. "You've never done that before!"

"Of course, Kelly," Devin said, looking at her as the magic faded away on his hand. "I gained new power from the Orzhov guild. I've got my own creatures, and the new ones! Volcanic Dragon!"

The dragon burst from his card in a burst of sizzling lava, and it stretched its reddish wings in the air. It gave a reptilian screech, flapping its heavy wings in the air. It eyed Viktor, Kelly, and Makoto with hungry eyes.

"Don't fight us!" Viktor tried to reason. "You're being controlled by the Orzhov so they can take out a rival guild! Don't be their puppet and follow some stupid reason to get revenge!"

"Being a puppet?" Devin repeated. "Whatever, Viktor. I felt compelled by the deepest part of my heart to rise against you. A voice in me cried out for this to happen. I would be doing this anyway! The Orzhov are just helping me on my way. They can benefit, too. It's the 'guild of deals', after all. Now, Volcanic Dragon, attack!"

The said dragon surged forward, opening its jaws to spit fire. Makoto quickly cast Mothrider Samurai, and Viktor sent out his Fighting Drake. The three creatures clashed, struggling in the air. The Mothrider Samurai and Fighting Drake seemed to have the upper hand, but then Devin said, "Giant Growth!" and the dragon ballooned in size. It easily dispatched the two creatures and attacked Viktor next.

"Twiddle!" Viktor said, and the instant froze the dragon in its tracks. Its wings locked up, and it fell to the ground and turned gray. It did not move.

"Good move!" Makoto said, and he cast Battle Mad Ronin, followed by Drudge Skeletons by Kelly. The tow creatures assaulted the Orzhov forces, taking out a guild mage and a Mourning Thrull. Viktor added a Coral Eel, which tore apart another guild mage.

Unconcerned, Devin threw his hands up and announced, "Culling Sun!" at once, a fake Sun appeared above his head, and quickly eclipsed. Rays of dark purple surged forward, striking the Battle Mad Ronin, Coral Eel, and Drudge Skeletons, destroying all three. The Skeletons regenerated, once again lurching after Devin. Devin simply produced a staff and whacked the skeletons, shattering them to pieces.

"Come on, don't make this difficult!" Devin said, amused. "You all don't have to die. You're my friends. Run away and abandon the Selesnya like they threw Alana away. You'll be spared and not be burned for fertilizer!"

"Don't be stupid, man," Makoto retorted. "Snap out of it. The Orzhov want you to do this! They can do no good for anyone but themselves. It's how they work! They'll find some reason to stake your powers and make you a servant. Break away!"

"You're the one being stupid," Devin said back. "I'm much too powerful to be cast down like that. They'll never stop until they crush the other guilds and dominate all of Ravnica! And I'll help them all the way!"

Viktor listened to Devin's mad ranting. "Okay, time to get serious," he muttered to himself. He edged closer to Makoto and Kelly. "Listen, guys," he whispered urgently. "We've got to work together to get around his new spells and defenses. Distract him, and I'll throw down Thorn Elemental and take him out. Okay?" The others nodded.

"What are you whispering over there?" Devin called. "Come out and fight me if you're not gonna run! If you back up the Selesnya, I'll kill you!"

"Come and get us!" Kelly snapped, and cast Sengir Vampire. The ghastly man floated toward Devin, backed up by several samurai. "Angel of Despair!" Devin called. The bald angel smiled wickedly and pointed at the Sengir Vampire, which dissolved into black mist. The samurai caught up and engaged the Angel in combat, fighting evenly. While Devin was distracted with that, Viktor cast Thorn Elemental. The giant wood titan lumbered forward and swept a single massive hand at the reserve Orzhov forces. Hundreds of wooden needles rained like a rain shower from the Elemental's hand, skewering the Orzhov creatures through. They fell over, dead. The Elemental's massive hand swept them aside and slammed on the ground near Devin, who leaped aside to avoid it.

"Your stupid Thorn Elemental!" Devin cursed. Wood needles had pierced him, but his Orzhov undead magic kept harm to a minimum. He fired another spell.

"Pillory of the Sleepless!" Devin said quickly, and the golden wood pillory burst into being. It zoomed upward, opening up on its hinges like a pair of jaws. The surprised Thorn Elemental was helpless as the pillory snapped shut on its wrists, binding the arms together. Bound by the magic, the Thorn Elemental was forced to its huge knees, making the ground tremble. Viktor watched as the beast slumped forward, its head also trapped in the Pillory.

"You see that?" Devin said triumphantly, pointing at the captive Elemental. "Orzhov magic doesn't let its enemies attack and get away with it. Feel the drain, Viktor?"

Viktor wondered for a moment what Devin was referring to, and then felt his strength start to drain. The Elemental groaned as its magic strength was suppressed, and Viktor felt his own magic weakening. He remembered the effect of the Pillory of the Sleepless card: "Enchanted creature's controller loses 1 life during their upkeep," or something like that.

"It'll take more than that to beat me," Viktor gritted, feeling his legs getting wobbly. The Angel of Despair had been defeated, yet it had killed the other creatures, too.

"Why don't we finish this up?" Devin said, preparing another spell. "C'mon, unless you have better stuff coming up." The Orzhov creatures advanced in a wall, and Devin cast a swarm of Blind Hunters and Mourning Thrulls for an air assault. Makoto and Kelly cast creatures to fend off the attackers, and battle raged. However, Devin's powerful Orzhov magic gave him the advantage. Viktor's main creature, his Thorn Elemental, was useless as long as the Pillory of the Sleepless held it in place. If only Viktor could destroy it… yes! Viktor had the very card for this situation. He frantically searched his deck as Blind Hunters and pearl gargoyles fought closer and closer to him. Where was it, where… there! A simple card: Naturalize. Destroy target enchantment or artifact. Never had those words sounded so good!

"Naturalize!" Viktor cried, holding out the card. Vines and tree branches sprouted from the card and homed in on the pillory. They creeped all over it, straining and cracking it with nature's strength. The Pillory shattered into hundreds of shards of wood, freeing the Thorn Elemental. The massive wood beast rumbled and stood up, flexing its massive hands. With one word of command, the Elemental took several thudding steps toward a shocked Devin. With one swing, twenty or so Orzhov creatures were swiped away, leaving Devin vulnerable. With a shower of thorns, Devin was knocked away in a powerful strike, defeated.

With Devin unconscious, all of his summoned creatures vanished into mist, leaving a quiet and empty battlefield. A few of Kelly's and Makoto's creatures were left standing alone, confused but relieved. "Is it over?" Kelly asked in the silence. Viktor started toward Devin's still frame, but sudden green light blazed from him. Viktor raised his arms to shield his eyes from the sudden burst of color.

"What the hell?" Makoto exclaimed. He didn't have long to find that out. The light swirled in a twister, and a human shape materialized in the vortex. It took shape, arms coming out and all. When the light dimmed to a dull aura, Viktor saw a young woman smiling wickedly, floating in the air.

"Ahhhh, now, what have you done here?" she asked. Her voice was falsely sweet and gentle, with undertones of evil running like toxin below the surface. She had a somewhat pale face, with her eye color being a bright red. Her black hair swirled all about, as though she were underwater. She wore a robe-like top, with sleeve cloth close to her skin. Around her neck and head was a high collar, with symbols and lines running up and down. Her fingers were long and spidery, and she had pointed, claw-like fingernails that were a deep purple.

She sank slightly and grazed her talon-like nails along Devin's cheek. "Such a pity this is," she continued, ignoring Viktor and the others and looking at Devin with horribly false care. "He was so useful for getting what I wanted. Even the younger girl was out of my way. I'll just have to try again, hmmm?"

"Who are you?" Viktor demanded, coming closer. "What are you doing to Devin?"  
"Well, so you're his friend?" the woman said, looking and standing up. "It must hurt to see him like this, to have fought him nearly to the death. Don't worry, he isn't dead. I doubt anything around here could take him or you down."

"I said, what are you doing? What do you want?" Viktor snapped. Makoto and Kelly had come closer, a few steps behind Viktor. They only stared in wonder at the woman before them.

"What am I doing, young man?" the woman repeated. "People always demand to know what others are doing, even if they weren't invited to know. But I suppose there's no harm in saying so. I'll just say, I want him. I want you. I want… all of you." She spread her arms out, fanning her fingers. She gave a cold smile.

"What's that mean?" Kelly asked.

"Don't get carried away," the woman said. "If I told you everything, that would not be acceptable. I want all of your power. It must be mine, taken from you. I've waited long for this opportunity."

Hearing this, Viktor realized that perhaps this woman was helping arrange the split in the group. He voiced this hypothesis, and the woman chuckled.

"Aren't you clever?" she crooned. "You're quite right. Ever since you all came into this plane, I wanted you all separated. It would be much harder to go after a tight-knit group. Those Gruul beasts helped me get you all away from this city tree so a losing battle would take place. A woman Devin was infatuated with would die, driving him to abandon this guild and take his revenge. The younger girl would look for him. A nice party split, wouldn't you agree?"

"You foul —!" Viktor growled, starting to rush toward her. The woman raised one hand, with her fingers all loose except the pointer. That finger's tip glowed, and a great blue plasmid bubble erupted forth and captured Viktor. He was unable to move, only able to recognize the Stasis Cell enchantment.

"I like these Stasis Cells," the woman said. "The Simic created the cells to preserve their experiments. The Azorius put the cells to use on the guilty. But I like to use them on naughty children like you." She snapped her fingers on that hand, and she began to dissolve in dark green mist. "Don't think this will be the last time you see me, children. I will get what I want, whatever you may do to stop me. It may be easier to simply submit. Ohh, by the way, you may have your girl back if you want. You might find her in the Dimir guild's territories. Farewell."

With a flash, she was gone completely, and the Stasis Cell vanished. Viktor stood there in rage and shock at what he had heard and found out. He was right; everything had been arranged to have the friends turn on one another! This woman was evil; she seemed gentle, but her wicked purpose was obvious in what she said and did.

"Are you okay?" Kelly asked him.

"Yeah, it was just a holding cell," Viktor said, taking a step forward. "Come on. We've got to get Devin."

"I'm awake," Devin said, getting up. "Look, Viktor, I'm really sorry. I didn't know that woman was making me do all that. I wouldn't turn against you like that, man. She's evil."

"Let's just get Ashley back," Viktor said. "That woman said that she was captured by the Dimir, by going after you."

"Can't believe all this," Devin muttered to himself. After Viktor explained to the Selesnya what was going on, they allowed him and the others to go into Ravnica's streets to find Ashley. Viktor summoned his Fighting Drake, and it carried the four on its back.

The alleys between buildings yielded no clues to Ashley's location. Makoto summoned a Kabuto Moth, which flittered ahead to look for her. Within minutes, it had found Dimir territory, so Viktor steered the Fighting Drake down to the alley floor to look for her.

"This place's creepy," Kelly noted nervously, looking around. The walls of the buildings were dark, with clothes on clothing lines fluttering like ghosts. Bits of litter of various kinds lay about, including glass jars with bits of brain matter in them, seeped in magical liquid. The four of them found a blank stretch of wall that permeated magic power.

"What is this?" Devin asked, gliding a hand across the stone. "I can feel magic here, but it's just a wall."

"Let me see," Viktor said, and he tapped the wall with Naturalize. The vines and branches crept out, leeching the unnatural magic from the wall. The bricks ground against each other, then folded away to reveal an archway leading to darkness beyond.

"Well, there we are," Viktor commented, stepping in. The others followed. Inside, the walls were lined with torches hued bright blue, making the hallway shadowed that color. Many chambers were beyond, some of them prison cells with people chained to the wall. Their expressions were blank, with magical clamps on their skulls, leeching their minds away. Other rooms had bookshelves with eerie scrolls and jars of more brains. People were in those rooms, so Viktor and the others had to avoid being seen. After some tension-filled moments, a cell was found that had Ashley inside.

"Here she is!" Makoto said, seeing her inside. Naturalize helped break the lock, and they were in. Ashley lay on a wooden bed shelf on the wall, her arms to her sides. Her expression was also blank. When Viktor got close, he saw that Gerbie had Ashley's shirt collar in his teeth, and he was tugging on the cloth.

"What are you doing?" Viktor asked him. Gerbie gave a startled yelp and backed away from Ashley's collar. "Whoa, you scared me there, haven't you heard of knocking?" the gerbil said indignantly.

"What happened to her?" Viktor asked impatiently.

"Oh, that," Gerbie said. He looked at Devin, then back to Ashley. "She and I were cruising on the Sky Hussar when we took a wrong turn into Dimir alley. They shot us down and captured her with a shock net, then dragged her into here. Since she found out the location of one of their bases of operations, they drugged her so she lost all her memory. I've been trying to wake her, but I'm too weak. Wouldn't do any good, anyway. We'd have to find the antidote for the memory suppression drug. Not even a Viashino Fangtail lash could knock the memory back into her. Got any plans for this?"

Walking over, Kelly gently slapped her sister's face with her hand. "Come on, Ashley, wake up," she said. Ashley made a faint moan, then opened her eyes. She sat up, and saw her sister and friends.

"Who are you all?" she asked nervously. "What're you all doing in here?"

"Told you she'd forget," Gerbie said. "She can hardly remember her own name —"

Ashley saw Gerbie talking and gave a yelp. "That gerbil talked!" she said. "Get it away!"

"It's okay, we're getting you out of here," Kelly told her sister. "Your memory's been suppressed with a drug. We've got to find the antidote for that, then get out of here. Let's go."

"Well, okay," Ashley said. "What about the gerbil?"

"Get me in your pocket," Gerbie said, starting to claw his way up Ashley's jeans. She took hold of him and fit him into her pocket, where he said, "Time is gold, folks, let's get a-going!" With that, Viktor lead the group out of the cell, back into the hallway. There was still no one there, but Viktor had the feeling that the cell was loaded with escape detection enchantments. The group quickly made their way down the hallway until they found a room that contained multiple vials of different substances. A lone mage was at work inside.

"Okay, how are we going to do this?" Devin whispered.

"We may have to attack him and knock him out," Viktor whispered back. "The room's small, so if he turns his back and goes to another section, he is still close enough to hear us."

"I've got something," Kelly said, taking out a card. It was Cursed Ronin, a human samurai. "He's supposed to be a bit stealthy, so we'll try him."

"Hey, a samurai?" Makoto breathed, taking the card. "I could use another."

"It's black, and your deck is red and white," Kelly snapped, taking the card back. "Let me use it to get him quietly. Here goes." She summoned the Ronin, who silently landed on the floor in a bracing crouch. His face was hard to see, but his eyes glowed yellow and fixed on the mage in the room.

"Take him out quietly," Kelly whispered. Nodding, the Ronin drew his silver sword from its sheath, making no more sound than a whisper. He crept into the room, and slashed with the sword. His aim was good, but not good enough; the man was able to cry out before dying from the sword's deadly edge. A few seconds later, other voices could be heard from elsewhere, voicing confusion and asking what was going on.

Wasting no time, Viktor ran into the room, rapidly scanning the vials for a memory restoration. After tossing aside vials that were blocking the rear ones, he found one labeled Memory Suppression Remover. He pocketed the vial and rejoined his friends, and they all ran through the hall, with Dimir guild men chasing them. Once they were into the alley, Viktor cast Vine Trellis to block the opening until the bricks naturally closed. Viktor produced the vial and opened it, telling Ashley, "Here, drink this." She hesitated, then accepted the drink. Her eyes filled with sudden memory.

"Oh, that's weird, getting all my memories back," she said. "It feels like everything happened just now."

"That's good, we've got to run," Devin said, eyeing the Vine Trellis being beaten at. The bricks had reopened, letting the Dimir guild men hack their way through the Vine Trellis. Viktor unsummoned it, summoned Fighting Drake, and the quintet was soon far away from angry Dimir mages.

"So, now that we're free, what happens?" Ashley asked. "And what has happened since I left?"

Makoto filled her in on the Orzhov-Selesnya battle, and the strange woman's appearance and threats. Ashley concerned to hear the news, but was most of all anxious to return to her home. "We've got to get back," she emphasized. "It's dangerous being here. Something about our cards got us here anyway."

"I've been thinking about that," Viktor said, rifling through the decks. "I think these were used." He produced Thorn Elemental, Isperia the Inscrutable, Konda, Lord of Eiganjo, Ryusei, the Falling Star, and Kuro, Pit Lord and put them together. "I think it was these."

"They're all our best cards," Makoto noted, looking at the stack. Before he could say anything else, though, the cards began spinning together, just like the first time. They rotated at blurring speeds, then the small black orb materialized above the cards, with the green energy crackling. The sphere grew into the black tunnel, and the five of them were pulled in, Drake and all.

When Viktor hit solid ground, he felt grass under him. He looked around in the sudden dark. He saw Makoto's house, with lights shining inside. Some houses away, a dog barked, and crickets chirped in the grass. He was back into Makoto's neighborhood! The sky was mostly dark, with faint gold light at the horizon. It was clearly late evening.

"We're back!" Makoto cheered, standing up. "There's my house! Yes!" he dashed across the front lawn and rang the doorbell. The door opened, and Makoto's mom stood there, and shock crossed her face upon seeing her son.

"My Makoto!" she cried, embracing him. "You were gone so long! Where have you been? And your friends are here too."

"It's okay, mom," Makoto answered, breaking away. "I can explain what happened later, okay? My friends'll be going home about now."

"I'm just glad you're found," Mrs. Nakamura said. "Missing posters were put up for you and your friends. Everyone's been looking. Now I can tell them you're right here." With that, Viktor and the others said their goodbyes, and boarded the bus to go back to their homes. Viktor got off the bus, walked across his own lawn, and entered his own home.

"There you are! You've been missing!" Mrs. Dimitrov said when she saw Viktor coming in. "Missing posters were put up for you. What happened?"

"School trip, or something," Viktor said vaguely. "I can tell you about it later. Sorry to worry you."

"School trip? Why didn't you tell me? Or at least call?" Mrs. Dimitrov asked.

"I'll… well…," Viktor said. He could hardly say "Mom, I was teleported to a magical alternate universe by playing cards and fought monsters and came back".

"I'm sure you're tired. You can explain in the morning," Mrs. Dimitrov said. "By the way, there's surprising news."

"What is it?" Viktor asked, setting his backpack down. He had collected it from Makoto's house before leaving.

"Your grandfather called yesterday," Mrs. Dimitrov said. "He seems to be in better health! The nursing home doctors said that his condition improved rapidly, and they couldn't tell what was causing it. He is going to board the next flight from Sofia to here, and will visit us. Isn't that nice to hear?"

"Yeah, it is," Viktor said, an odd feeling creeping into his stomach. His grandfather, Georgi Dimitrov, had stayed behind in Bulgaria when Viktor and his parents had come to the United States. Viktor was going to study abroad when his parents had decided that life would be better in America. Georgi and his wife Anna had been in declining heath, and had moved into a nursing home in downtown Sofia.

And now, right after Viktor went on a crazy journey to Ravnica and came back, his grandpa gets better and is flying over! There was no way he knew about it; Viktor had just come back, and no one had seen the departure or return. Besides, Georgi was a retired store manager. He wasn't a detective or any other type to look into mysterious happenings. His mind buzzing, Viktor headed upstairs and tumbled into bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 5

By Louis Kemner 2008

Birds chirped outside Viktor's window as bright yellow Saturday sunshine came in through the window. Viktor turned over in his bed, then pulled back the covers and stood up, stretching. He had dreamed entirely of his magic adventure of the last few days, full of weird things, including Devin's face on Niv-Mizzet shooting swarms of bees, and Ashley sprouting wings and chasing Viktor around. Plus Viktor's grandfather was in there, with a Blind Hunter on his shoulder like a pet, and he had told it to bring Viktor to him for his ultimate fate, or whatever.

Pulling himself away from dreamland, Viktor looked at his deck of cards sitting on his bedside table, innocent and ordinary-looking, sitting there amid other everyday objects. Viktor picked the cards up, and found Thorn Elemental. He held it in front of him, and said, "Thorn Elemental!" Nothing happened.

It made sense, of course. Here, these were ordinary cards, without Multiverse auras to bring it to life. Laughing at himself, Viktor set the deck back down and went downstairs.

"Morning. You slept in quite late," his mom said as she fried eggs for him in the kitchen. She spoke Bulgarian to him; she was still learning English and didn't want to try it until her technique was better.

"I guess I was really tired," Viktor answered in kind, sitting at the kitchen table. He yawned.

"Your grandfather will be here in the early afternoon," the mother said, giving him his breakfast. "Remember that he hasn't seen us for over a year and a half. You can tell him all a bout your college courses and new friends. He'll like to hear how his grandson is coming along in a new country."

"Sure," Viktor said, digging into his breakfast.

Viktor spent the rest of the morning with leisurely activities and TV, until his mom checked outside and said, "Georgi is here!" Viktor turned off the TV and tidied the couch, and Viktor's father, Sergei, came in to meet his own father. The taxi outside pulled up, and footsteps could be heard. The front door opened, and a balding old man with white hair walked slowly in with a smile on his face.

"Afternoon, everyone," he said, setting his suitcases down. He, too, spoke Bulgarian; he had never learned any other language, except for a bit of Greek in college. He closed the door and embraced his family in a group hug.

"You're lively, Georgi," Viktor's mom beamed.

"Ahhh, yes, I booted my woes away," Georgi said, sitting down on the couch. He certainly had an old look to him: the top of his head was bald, with a halo of wispy white hair around his head. He wore thick, plastic framed glasses and wore a light brown suit. He was a proper and formal man, but radiated goodwill and cheer in the room.

"There's my grandson," he said happily, seeing Viktor and motioning him closer and embracing him. "You're quite a young man, there. I remember when your own father was that age. Hardy looked any different than you." They parted. "So what have you been up to?" Georgi asked.

The conversation went on for roughly half an hour, with everyone catching up with everyone's lives. Old man Georgi told of how native Bulgaria was coming along, with the economy growing and plenty of sunshine for an old man's skin. After getting a coffee, Georgi said, "Hmmm. Sergei, Petya, I'd like some time alone with Viktor. We've got some things to discuss." Looking slightly put off, Viktor's parents left the room and went upstairs.

Viktor sat silent, watching his grandfather. He got the feeling that this would be what Georgi had really come for. After a short time, Georgi said, "Now, grandson, I understand that you had an interesting adventure with your friends a little ago."

"What?" Viktor said, acting ignorant. He didn't want any trouble to arise.

"There, there, you don't have to be like that," Georgi reprimanded. "I know that you were teleported to the Magic universe. And you met a certain someone."

"Are you talking about that weird woman?" Viktor asked.

"Exactly her," Georgi said, a serious expression settling onto his old face. "Please, invite all your friends who went there with you. They all need to hear what I must say."

Nodding, Viktor pulled out his cell phone and called each friend. They were all available, and were soon on the front porch looking confused. Viktor let them all in and introduced them to his grandfather. They all sat down and regarded Georgi.

"I know that all five of you were taken into the Multiverse," the old man told them all. He spoke English, which surprised Viktor; Georgi had never revealed this. Devin started to say something, only to have Georgi cut him off. "Now now, you all aren't in trouble. I will make sure this excursion stays secret. Rather, you need to know what is happening, and how and why you could open the portal.

"I suppose I should start with the basics. You see, there are a number of Planes within the Multiverse. They are all linked, allowing beings called Planeswalkers to travel between them. Each Planeswalker has great power within them. The only exception is Ravnica, which is separate from the other Planes and cannot be entered or left."

The five kids sat in silence, taking in this sudden information. Viktor got the feeling that they had stumbled into something great.

"Some time ago, in the Dominaria plane, there was a tribe of nomads struggling to exist. They faced terrible hardships, with wild beast attacks, famine, civil war, and others. One young girl in the tribe named Elena set herself to mend her people's existence. She was discovered to have unusual magical ability, with almost effortless ease could cast minor spells. She ravenously studied old and powerful magic and enchantments, in an attempt to become strong enough to ward trouble away from her people.

"She was met with a measure of success, but a jealous clan of mages attacked the tribe in hopes of killing Elena and stealing her power. Almost all of the tribe was destroyed, leaving only Elena's immediate family alive. With this, Elena was sparked with the Planeswalker power. She sought to protect what family she had, for they were all she had in the world. She hunted down terrible and forbidden magic, hiring mercenaries and evil mages and spirits. They took advantage of her and possessed her, making Elena a tool of their thirst for conquest. She crossed from plane to plane, amassing magic from every plane's best sources.

"Eventually, the other Planeswalkers had decided she had gone too far. They banded and cornered her, and punished her by stripping her of all her Planeswalker power, in addition to her other abilities. She was banished to a remote corner of Dominaria, all alone. However, the spirits that had enhanced her found and re-entered Elena's body, giving some of her powers back. She found and killed a fellow Planeswalker and leeched his power, giving her the rest of her power. Thus, a war started between Elena and the other Planeswalkers."

Viktor and the others sat in stunned silence at this fantastic tale. Here was talk of a great battle that had raged in a magical realm, and they had all entered that same universe!

"That's crazy," Devin said. "What a story. How do we fit in? How did we get there? Are we also Planeswalkers, or what?"

"The answer to that lies in the rest of the story," Georgi explained. He finished his coffee. "The Planeswalkers alone can't defeat Elena. Even if combined, and if they could slay her now, she could use her trickery and evasiveness to fight them one-on-one, and kill them. Further, she would absorb the defeated Planeswalkers and become ever stronger. To further their cause, the Planeswalkers imbued your cards with their power, giving you all Planeswalking power. You have an improved version, actually. You can go to and from the Ravnica plane, and the other Planeswalkers cannot.

"Ajani Goldmane, Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar, Garruk Wildspeaker, and Liliana Vess all need your help in their war. Those cards, the Key Creatures, house the bulk of your power. Should they fall in Elena's hands, she will absorb the Key Creatures' power, and then the war will essentially be lost. Don't ever let that happen."

"That's incredible," Ashley breathed.

"Yeah, that sure knocked me for a loop," Gerbie said, crawling out of Ashley's pocket. Ashley expressed her surprise at his presence.

"What, I didn't want to miss out on whatever you were going to do," the gerbil said. "I wanna do wherever you do."

"What is this?" Georgi asked, smiling and looking at the animal. "A talking gerbil?"

"Yeah, he's Gerbie. I bought him in Ravnica," Ashley explained, holding Gerbie up. He gave a squeak of acknowledgement.

"Very interesting," Georgi said. "Make sure that no one sees this gerbil. He could cause trouble."

"Sure, I'll be out of sight," Gerbie agreed. "Anyway, old man, keep saying your story. I like it."

"I'm 'old man'?" Georgi repeated, his smile not fading. "You're an interesting animal, Gerbie. Anyway." He slumped back on the couch to get more comfortable.

The five of them pulled out their decks, and then pulled out the five that had reacted with each other to open the portal. Georgi looked them over.

"So much depends on plain old cards," Kelly said, taking hers back. "They seem so ordinary, but are so important, too. What would happen if we released the creatures in the Multiverse?"

"They would be at risk of being absorbed by Elena," Georgi said. "But you must release them. You will need their exceptional power to rival Elena's own, along with the other Planeswalkers. I know I ask much of you all, but this must be done. Your mission must be to ally with the Planeswalkers and defeat Elena, for the good of both this world and that one. I can only hope you are ready for this."

"We'll do our best," Devin promised. The others agreed.

"And how do you know all this?" Viktor asked his grandfather. "That was a lot you told us."

"I can't reveal much about that," Georgi said. "But I have contact with the Planeswalkers and am connected to the Multiverse. You have your mission: take advantage of your full capabilities and defeat Elena for good."

Viktor could feel an iron will and resolve form in him, and he nodded. Much depended on him and his friends. He could not let his grandfather down.

Later that day, the five of them visited the hobby store, and had bought a number of new cards. After all, they could need powerful new spells to ready them for combat. Viktor had gotten a Simic Sky Swallower, to Gerbie's delight. It was a 6/6 flying creature with trample and shroud. Makoto got a number of useful samurai, and Devin boasted Dragon Tyrant, a 6/6 flyer with trample and double strike. Kelly bought Reiver Demon, another 6/6 flyer. When it comes into play, all non-artifact and non-black creatures are destroyed. Makoto found Iizuka the Ruthless, which let Makoto sacrifice a samurai to give all samurai double strike. Ashley got her hands on Dovescape, which countered all non-creature spells and gave the spell's controller a number of flying bird tokens.

The five of them re-organized their decks. Rather than sixty-card decks, each one now had roughly twenty, consisting of the cards they would need most. The Key Cards were put into deck boxes and sealed closed. They could not risk losing them.

The week progressed normally, with Viktor and Devin attending their college courses. Viktor had met his teacher, Professor Smith, and bought him the Army of Entropy Shadowmoor deck. It had powerful elementals, such as Ashenmoor Liege and Din of the Fireherd. The deck was quite effective, and Viktor enjoyed playing against it.

Finally, on the next Saturday, Georgi had called from Bulgaria (where he had returned earlier that week) and told Viktor that he should return to the Multiverse to start his mission. Georgi had explained on the phone that the number of Key Cads touching each other would determine which Plane would be visited. Five was for Ravnica, four for Lorwyn, two for Kamigawa, three for Dominaria, and just one for Mirrodin. There were other planes, too, but Georgi said that these five planes were the main ones Elena visited and recruited from. Plus, Planeswalkers couldn't travel to Ravnica since it was disconnected from the other planes, but the Spirits could easily teleport there, allowing the kids to do the same. Elena could obviously go there, too. They were further told that they should seek out the Planeswalkers whenever possible, and that they could still Planeswalk in case they lost their Key Creatures. Of course, it was best to simply not lose them at all.

"So, are we ready?" Devin asked as he and his friends took out their Key Cards. They were all in Devin's room, with the blinds closed and door locked. They had concocted a story that they were going on a trip together to New York State, for the week. With the cover set, they set together four of the cards.

The familiar portal opened, drawing in the air in the room. The five of them allowed themselves to be drawn in and taken to another world.

Viktor tumbled onto sun-warmed grass crawling with ants and ladybugs. He rightened himself and sat for a second, taking in his surroundings. The sun was big and bright yellow in the sky, and fluffy white clouds hovered like a fleet of spaceships. The air was temperate and relaxing, and a light breeze ruffled Viktor's clothes and hair. He and his friends were in a small, green meadow, bordered by forests. The trees looked ordinary, with average size and canopies of green leaves. Insects buzzed in the air, and in the distance, birds cawed.

"Sure is a nice place," Makoto commented, looking around and shielding his eyes from the sun. "This is Lorwyn, right?"

"Yeah, Viktor's grandpa said four cards would take us here," Kelly confirmed.

"I could almost live here," Ashley said brightly, lying down on her stomach to watch an insect crawl up a blade of grass. "It's warm and sunny and nice."

"Holy Sky Swallowers," Gerbie said as he crawled out of Ashley's pocket and took in the scenery. "Where are we? I don't see a building anywhere! And where is everyone?"

"It's Lorwyn," Kelly repeated for him. "It's a different plane from Ravnica, where you come from. There aren't many buildings here. There's a lot of wilderness, inhabited by treefolk, elves, boggarts, and other tribal races."

"Whoa whoa, did you say tribes?" Gerbie said, scampering on top of Ashley's head to get a better look. "Not the ten guilds? No Simic, Dimir, Orzhov, or anything? I haven't gone a single day without hearing about the guild feuds and what the leaders are up to, or the Guildpact. I guess I can say goodbye to Mormir Vig, my great Simic creator… it saddens me…"

"Don't be sad," Kelly said. "We can go to the Ravnica plane whenever we like. We're just going to be here for now. And we should set off, too. There's nothing here. Maybe a peaceful town could give us help."

"Bah. No guild halls. Some stupid hut of sticks called a house awaits me, with crazy wood elves in it," Gerbie sniffed. "If I don't get stepped on by a treefolk or get eaten by some goblin or whatever."

"It'll be fine," Ashley told the gerbil on top of her head. She got up, taking hold of Gerbie and putting him back in her pocket. "The tribes are peaceful, sometimes. Maybe they'll give us help and not run us down."

"Well, let's go," Viktor said, rubbing his hands. He set off, the other five following.

The scenery didn't change much for some time; they could have been on Earth for all they could tell. But just as Viktor was wondering if the Key Cards malfunctioned somehow, a flock of wooly sheep crossed his path, shepherded by a Kithkin man wearing overalls, a straw hat, and a black-and-red checkered shirt.

"Hoy, there!" the Kithkin man hollered to Viktor's group, waving in greeting. "Some day for grazing, huh? Where you all come from?"

"We're travelers," Viktor said. "Is there a town nearby?"

"Euhhh, sort of, yeah," the Kithkin shepherd said, stopping his flock and leaning against his shepherd's crook cane. "My farm's an hour's jaunt that-a-way, and the town's a half-day's ride on wagon from there. You all looking to get to town?"

"We'd like that," Viktor said, nodding. "Is the town friendly toward strangers?"

"You betcha," the shepherd said, nodding. He had a wheat stalk in his mouth, which went up and down as he talked. "We's letting other Kithkin come in all the time, for trading and other stuff. Why, even elves are welcome, long as they don't drag along their Flame-kin enemies to fight with our weapons."

He paused, taking in the group before him. "Say, why don't you all come to my farm. It's been a spot lonely since my wife was taken away, by the damned giants. Believe me, talking to sheep gets old. I need another face. Ehh, what race are you all? You're like them elves, but without the ears and the horns attached."

"We're human, of course," Viktor said.

"What's a human?" the Kithkin asked. "Isn't nothing I've heard of. Y'all hybrids of elves and Kithkin?"

"It's not important," Viktor said. This wasn't worth arguing about.

"Well, okay," the Kithkin said. "So you want to come to my farm for supper t'night? You all can ride my wagon with me into town tomorrow. I've got a bit of grain trading to do."

Viktor considered this, and whispered to the others about it. They agreed, since he could get them to the town faster on wagon than on foot.

"It's set, then," the farmer said, motioning for them to follow. "It's just an hour's jaunt this way. Come along." So, Viktor and the others followed him and his flock, through the meadow and staying away from the forest. Viktor watched the forest, trying to see anything. He didn't see anything definite, but swore he saw an elf dash gracefully from one branch to another in the deep green layers of the woods. And one tree seemed to be moving a bit too much to be an ordinary tree.

"There's a right bit o' Treefolk round these parts," the Kithkin shepherd said, seeing the tree moving. "They want to keep the Flame-kin away, with some of the rare Goldbark saplings around here. Goldbark is pretty rare nowadays, even with us planting some of it in the woods. It sap can be used for a youth elixir, and its bark can be infused with wood shields to make them nigh unbreakable. Why, I've seen a giant chew a Goldbark shield like a dog and not put a crack on it. Really something, huh?"

He chattered on along the way to his farm. Before long, patches of pumpkins, corn, squash, peas, and other crops appeared, bordered by fences. A small farm house loomed ahead, right next to a barn. Its roof eaves were barely six feet off the ground.

"And here we are," the shepherd said, opening the creaky wooden door and going in. The house was clearly built for the minute Kithkin; Viktor and the others had to stoop to get in, and were a little cramped on the inside. But still, it was comfortable, with hay mattresses arranged for guests. An iron stove was put to use by the shepherd to roast a huge chunk of sheep, with its meaty aroma wafting around the whole house. After poking around a bit, Viktor found a collection of giant insect-like wings arranged in a wooden box.

"That there's my faerie wing collection," the shepherd said, stepping up to Viktor and peering in the box. "'Bout thirty faeries' worth in there, maybe. I've got all types in there: Waterzippers, Sun Lancers, Final-Stings, Flit-Witters, and some others."

"Pretty cool," Viktor agreed, setting the box down.

After dusk had fallen and everyone was full of sheep and vegetable food, Viktor went outside to see what the evening had brought. Though the sun in Lorwyn never fully set, it settled close to the horizon and made everything darker and dimmer. He could no longer tell apart the trees in the distance, at least. They were simply a dark green mass. And out of that mass, a mote of glowing gold light drifted.

Viktor squinted, looking to see what it was. A firefly? No, it was too big and going a bit too fast for that. A second light joined the first, and a third and fourth joined the first two. Viktor went to the others, tapping Devin's shoulder. "Hey, look at that," he said. Devin turned and looked, seeing the lights coming closer.

"Are those fireflies?" Devin asked, peering at them. More and more had come out; some of them were gold, but others were electric blue, neon green, and shining silver. The shepherd, to had introduced himself as Grellis, stepped closer, picking something off his boot. "Watcha lookin' at?" he asked.

Viktor pointed at the swarm of lights coming closer, and Grellis' eyes widened. "Again?" he breathed to himself. He dashed into his house and came back with a slide-out telescope. He held the device to his eye, observing the lights. He lowered the instrument and said, "Well, I'll be damned. I thought the last one was it for the season, but I guess this is the last wave." He handed the telescope to a puzzled Viktor, who looked through it.

What he saw surprised him. The lights were actually faeries, of all sizes and colors. They were insect-like, but with humanoid bodies and butterfly qualities to them. Their tiny grinning faces stared ahead at the direction they were going. Their wings were like a dragonfly's, buzzing rapidly like a bee's. In the dim light, their bodies were glowing with bioluminescence, like living neon signs. Even the borders of their wings shone, making fans of color.

Viktor passed the telescope around to the others, letting them see. He asked Grellis, "What is this?"

"The faerie Life Rite," the Kithkin answered. "Every few months, the faerie queen Oona lays thousands of eggs for the new generation, and all other faeries come to celebrate that. Plus, they pollinate all the plants around the queen for several leagues, bringing lush spring to the landscape. The land is covered in flowers and saplings, and other fantastic stuff. It's a sight to behold, the Great Pollination. I've seen it only once, but it's impossible to forget."

By now, the faeries were close enough so the telescope wasn't necessary to see them clearly. Viktor could now hear them, too. Their tiny, high-pitched voices chorused a song of life and spring, a choir of glowing bug-men in the sky. The wave, thousands strong, soon reached Viktor and the others, and hundreds of faeries were flitting around and above him. It was like a massive, glowing tidal wave washing over him, out of some wild dream.

"Wow, this is wonderful!" Ashley glowed, watching the faeries swarm by like dust particles in sunlight. She kept turning slowly, taking in the mass of glowing faeries.

"Pretty nice," Makoto agreed, reaching out to touch a large one. His hand shot forth, and his fingers closed on the faerie's leg. The faerie jerked against its restraints, beating its wings uselessly. Makoto carried the faerie over to Grellis, whose eyes widened at the sight.

"Caught yeself a faerie, lad? There's some quick fingers on you," he praised. "Now, swatting a faerie's mighty impossible, I'll tell you. Might as well pull out a giant's tooth with a hoe. But catching one like that's an omen of good luck for years to come. Let the thing go, now." Makoto complied, releasing his hold on the squealing and squirming faerie. It flexed its body, turned around once in the air, and rejoined its companions. After a few minutes, the crowd of them lessened until only a few stragglers drifted by, then the air was once again quiet and empty. Viktor and the others stayed outside a little longer, then went into Grellis' house for the evening's rest.

When the sun climbed back to its higher place in the morning sky, Viktor and the others enjoyed a breakfast of springjack sausages and eggs with spicy merfolk scales. Grellis tended to his garden for about an hour, then loaded up his wagon and carted the kids to the Kithkin town.

The countryside passed by them as they progressed, with the curving dirt road wandering close to the forest and over a river. Viktor was reminded of county side England, with carriages taking people along the wilderness to the town or city. That illusion was broken, however, by the sight of a massive giants lumbering out of the forest and into the open.

The giant was massive, with his ugly head being over thirty feet in the air. He wore metal battle armor, covering his vast chest and shoulders, stopping at his waist. The armor was rusty and dented, but looked thick enough to resist almost anything. His pants were brown cloth with a ragged leather belt and a buckle four feet wide. He carried a battle-ax over his shoulder, and the metal shined in the bright sun. The handle was a thick as Viktor's body, and had leather straps and crude ornaments on it.

"Aye, there's a big'un," Grellis said, pulling on the horses' reigns to steer them clear of the lumbering monstrosity before them. "Don't want to tangle with him, huh? Giants here don't like mice prancing 'round their feet."

"Just mice," Devin muttered to himself, slightly shaken. Even with the wagon and him on it, they were just nuisances for the giant stomping around. The giant stopped, squinting and sweeping his great gaze around the countryside. A light breeze ruffled his mane of black hair, the thick strands waving like seaweed. He pulled back his lips, revealing gray and chipped teeth. He adjusted his battle-ax, huffed, and stomped forward, passing parallel to the wagon's path, fifty feet away. Viktor could feel the very earth shudder and vibrate with every booted footstep the giant took, and the horses snorted and tossed their manes in nervousness.

"Do you think he might come after us later?" Kelly asked Grellis.

"Probably not," the Kithkin answered, steering the horses back onto the trail now that the giant was out of the way. "Them giants like to snack on morsels like us sometimes, but they like to look for bigger snacks before settling for smaller ones. That's cause if the giant eats one snack, the other runs away. They always want the bigger one. I'm sure there's a juicy tribe of boggarts for him to munch on."

"Better them than us," Viktor agreed. Makoto grinned.

Some time later, when the wagon rolled over a small hill, a sprawling Kithkin town burst into view. It was smaller than a typical town on Earth, but still was impressive, sitting there in the countryside. There was a central building with a tall steeple dominating the rooftops. Many other buildings lay in avenues and alleys, such as blacksmiths, bars, opera houses, and many resident homes. The buildings were built from logs and lumber, with crude masonry for foundations. A large stream cut the town in half, with a bright wooden bridge curving over it and connecting the halves. The whole place radiated a sense of primitive peace and well-being.

"And here we are," Grellis announced, speeding the wagon down the hill and toward the gates. "I haven't been here for a while. Need to get me some sheep feed and horseshoes."

Once Grellis had stationed the wagon and stabled the horses, he pulled out a pipe and lit it. "I'll be catchin' you all in the street in two hours. Why don't you enjoy yourselves here? There's mighty much to see and do. I've got to take care of business here and meet some friends. Later, then." With that, he strode off.

Viktor and the others stood for a second, watching him go. "Well, let's do something," Devin suggested. "Got any ideas?"

The five of them explored the town, seeing the sights and meeting various Kithkin of all kinds. There were merchants, selling all types of wares, including Treefolk wood shields, Merfolk fishing poles, anti-Elemental charms and spells, Giant teeth, Elf Ear candy (they weren't actual elf ears), and all sorts of armor pieces and swords.

Though Viktor and the others weren't interested in buying anything, it was fun to browse the items for sale. Viktor's mind was busy with thoughts of how they were going to find clues to where Elena was, and he knew that they couldn't spend too long in the Kithkin town. After the merchants, they visited with residents of the homes, who were all cheerful and friendly, despite the kids being humans, which the Kithkin had never seen before. There were no humans in Lorwyn.

Finally, as the sun was descending in the bright blue sky, Grellis found the five kids, looking slightly worn.

"Have a good time?" he asked, putting on a straw hat. He sounded like his usual self, but there was underlying tension and worry. Viktor could hear it.

"This town is great," Devin answered. The others nodded.

"That's all and well," Grellis mumbled. His fingers fidgeted with his pipe. "Listen, everyone. I might be asking too much, but…"

"But what?" Viktor asked. "Go on."

"I've got me a favor to ask of you all," Grellis said edgily. "It's an awful lot, but I've got no one else who can do it."

"Well, what do you want us to do?" Kelly asked.

"Well," Grellis said, looking around. "See, this town has been having trouble. The Grek tribe of giants has been stealing from us. Stealing our women, including many wives. They've got a slave trade established, selling them to boggarts and Flame Elementals as servants and worse. My… my own wife has been taken, too, just a few weeks ago. Not even our strongest warriors can get them back."

"Are you asking us to help?" Viktor said.

"You don't really have to," Grellis said shyly.

"We will," Viktor assured him, looking at the others. "We ought to repay you for sheltering us, anyway. We're capable of doing his. We promise we'll do your favor."

"Really?" Grellis said, brightening. "You will? You… you have my thanks! All of you!"

"It's nothing," Viktor said, grinning.


	6. Chapter 6

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 6

By Louis Kemner 2008

It was beginning to become later in the day, and so the trip to the giants would take place the next day instead. Viktor and the others, now in Grellis' company, traveled back to Grellis' farm, where the Kithkin worked with his new supplies. Viktor and the others hiked in the nearby woods, taking care to not attract unwanted attention. The leaves and branches rustled as unseen creatures pranced by them, denizens of the forest. Gerbie, who was getting over the lack of buildings and constant nature, scampered up and down tree trunks and along branches.

They spent the night at Grellis' house much like the last one, then set off once again for the town in the wagon. The trip to the town progressed peacefully, and then the kids found themselves before the armory.

"I understand these card things," Grellis said, choosing between armor pieces and setting them in a pile. Viktor had explained to him the creature card summoning the night before. "But if you're gonna go toe-to-toe with giants you'd better have some armor between you and their axe edges. Here, these'll work." With difficulty, he pushed the pile of armor forward, and everyone managed to work themselves into it. The armor was built for Kithkin, but Grellis found the biggest pieces he could find, and they fit reasonably well.

When farewells were said, Viktor and the others set off into the wilderness in a direction Grellis had pointed out. They first had to cross a peninsula of forest, cross a stream, then into rocky bluffs where the Grek giants lived and worked. The trees were still and silent, with only birds occasionally flapping away and bursting through the trees. Viktor's armor was already beginning to feel a bit hot and itchy —

At that moment, something long and thin flashed through the air and narrowly missed Viktor's left ear. Yelping in surprise, Viktor instinctively flinched away, and saw that a crude arrow had planted itself into a tree trunk. It vibrated from the energy of its path.

"What the —" Devin started to say, when a small rock zipped through the air and panged off his armor, making him stumble. Before anyone could react, many rocks and arrows flew through the air, and everyone was occupied by dodging the projectiles, crying out in confusion and fright. Viktor had just managed to summon Vine Trellis to protect him when they burst out of the foliage.

Out of the leaves came a dozen goblins, all of them shouting gleefully in bloodlust. They had green or brown mottled skin, no hair, and long, bat-like ears on the sides of their heads. They wore metal and leather body armor and carried slingshots, small axes, and rusty scabbards. One of them pounced on Ashley, pinning her to the ground and knocking Gerbie out of her hands. The gerbil squeaked and retreated to the shelter of several large tree roots. Ashley wrestled with the ferocious boggart, until Makoto summoned Battle-Mad Ronin, who sliced the creature in half.

A small battle erupted forth, with crazed boggarts clashing with summoned creatures. The goblins slew a few of the kids' creatures, but they were falling faster. More of them came out of the woods, however, and took the places of the fallen ones. They were encircling the human defenders, threatening to overrun them with sheer numbers.

"There are too many of these guys!" Devin cried, as he desperately summoned Goblin Chariot to hold off a pair of boggarts with rusty cleavers. "Come on!"

Viktor was just thinking how stupid it would be to summon his strongest creatures to fend off _goblins, _when it happened. In one split second, three boggarts had their necks sliced seemingly by thin air. Blood burst from their necks as their heads separated from their bodies, falling to the leafy floor. All the boggarts cried out and chattered in fear from the new attack, quickly becoming a disorganized rabble.

Four arrows sliced the air, planting themselves in four boggart hearts, sending the creatures to the ground. Unlike the boggarts' crude arrows, these arrows were fletched with swan arrows and had slick, shiny wood shafts. Out of the branches leapt four graceful elves, clad in dark green and brown armor. They were like bolts of green lightning, fast and deadly. The boggarts scattered like insects before them, retreating to the underbrush. The elves, however, did not let them. They unsheathed sharp and curving bronze swords, drawing arcs of sharpened metal through the air, slaying many of the retreating boggarts. Viktor watched in fascination as the boggarts were mowed down by the relentless assault. Within a minute, dozens of boggart bodies lay on the bloody dirt.

With the deed done, the lead elf flicked the blood off his sword and rested it over his shoulder. "Have you sustained injury?" he asked the group of kids at large.

"I. uh, guess we're okay," Devin said. "Thanks for helping us."

"No thanks are necessary," the elf cut in. "Our Winnower Patrol finds its duty in the slaying of eyeblights such as they. Though it is a bonus to give aid to those in trouble."

The elf, along with the others, was certainly the opposite of the nasty boggarts, Viktor thought. The elf's face was sleek and feline, with a calm predator's beauty. His pointed ears flowed back from his head, his ram-like horns curled gracefully, and his long eyebrows met in an intellectual frown. His eyes were moss green, lit by a proud strength. His armor was made of wood, but looked as durable as any metal casing. He had teardrop shaped shoulder pads and a ribbed chest plate. A silver dagger with a wood handle was held in his cloth belt.

"Now, what brings you to these woods?" the elf asked Viktor, his green, inhuman eyes drilling into Viktor's own. "Many dangers lurk here, not for travelers to face."

"We're on, well, a mission," Viktor answered, hoping that the elf wouldn't interfere. "On behalf of the Kithkin town."

"Really? The Kithkin?" the elf said. He rejoined the other three elves and talked quietly with them, then turned back to face Viktor. "What have they asked of you?"

"Well, eh," Viktor mumbled, looking at the others. They nodded, clearly willing to share that information. "One Kithkin asked us to rescue his wife from a tribe of giants. The giants run a slave trade."

"Well, now," the elf said to himself, rubbing his chin with his long fingers. "We are quite aware of this abomination. If we could assemble a larger patrol, we could undertake the same mission as you. But I wonder, how could travelers such as yourselves take the giants on?"

"We've got this," Viktor said, taking out his cards. He pulled out Fighting Drake, and released it. The drake flapped its wings in the forest confines, screeching at the unfamiliar surroundings.

"By the gods!" the lead elf exclaimed, stunned by the sudden creature. "What manner of wizard are you?"

"We can all do this," Kelly added, stepping up closer to Viktor and summoning Drudge Skeletons. The two skeletons rasped as cackled at the sight of living flesh, their thick bones rattling. The elves were even more surprised.

"I may reconsider this," the lead elf said, stepping forward. "Though this Patrol numbers few, we may have the power to eradicate those vile giants for good. Please, do you grant us your allegiance?" he extended his hand.

The others nodded again, and Viktor grasped the elf's hand and shook it.

"It is sealed," the elf said solemnly.

The elf patrol guided Viktor and the others through the trees, making headway toward the cliffs that housed the giants' slave camp. The Patrol Leader, who identified himself as Enris, briefly taught the kids how to stealthily steal though the woods, making no more sound than a bird taking off for flight. The elves continued to show their flawless grace and precision, letting them travel lightly and unnoticed. They made faster headway than walking, and it was quieter, too.

Before long, the trees thinned and then cleared, exposing small grassy hills with flowers and apple trees here and there. There was no wind, nothing to move the vegetation. The only movement came from a burbling stream that flowed parallel to the forest edge, with the clear water bubbling around rocks and fallen logs. The scene was quite peaceful, Viktor thought. A lone pair of faeries drifted past.

"And now we enter the open," Enris said, hopping down onto the soft grass. "Follow, everyone. Stealth matters little anymore, away from our home trees. We will stride the earth quickly."

The most interesting part of this part of the journey was crossing the stream. It appeared to be only a foot deep, but up close Viktor saw that a shark could swim comfortably in the depths. Enris walked up to a thick log bridging the stream and started to walk across. When he go halfway there, the surface of the water bubbled, and Viktor saw something burst out of the water. It was human-shaped, with scaly, fishlike skin and web-like fins on the back of its head.

"What business do you have here, elf?" the Merfolk demanded.

"I merely walk the wood connecting the two halves of ground," Enris explained. "Is that a crime?"

"We have had trouble in these waters lately," the Merfolk said. Viktor recognized it as a Fallowsage. "Many Flame kin have boiled rage into our currents, disrupting our schools and burning our warriors. A few rogue elves have been helping them do that. Seeing another elf, I sought to clarify things."

"I promise that I bring no trouble," Enris assured. Even as he talked, two more Merfolk with spears swam up to the Fallowsage, staying near him. "If you bring peace, you may pass," they said.

"My mission is to help a few travelers liberate Kithkin from a giant camp," Enris said. "I will move along, now."

"Go on," the Fallowsage said, dipping back into the water. The other two Merfolk waited a second, then dived to rejoin the Fallowsage, zooming through the water like bullets. With that concluded, Enris and the others crossed the log and made their way across the meadow hills.

In a short time, the cliffs came into view, towering over the otherwise flat terrain. The top was hundreds of feet in the air, lined by trees of a forest up on the higher level. Down on the ground, there were a few massive trees and several large caves worked into the cliff wall. The one thing upsetting this tranquil scene was a single Axgrinder Giant sharpening a massive stone ax on a spinning stone wheel. The two rock surfaces screeched and sparked horribly as they ground together, working the ax's edge to maximum sharpness. Viktor also saw that there were several crude wood crates stacked together, and huge burlap sacks full of something.

"And here is what we seek," Enris whispered, seeing the giant.

"I hate that ax noise," Devin complained, covering his ears. "Why does it have to be so loud?"

"Should he be killed, it will make no more noise," Enris said smoothly, starting to draw his bronze sword. Viktor saw a predator's glow kindle in the elf's green eyes, and in how his eyebrows met. "However, if another giant were to witness the kill, then we would be exposed. Stealth may be our greater weapon here."

"Sure, sneak into a giant camp and release a bunch of Kithkin," Devin said sarcastically. "Sounds easy."

"The right tools can make this possible," Enris countered, looking at him. "You didn't come all this way to give up, did you?"

"It's a darned suicide mission, I say," Gerbie said firmly, crawling out of Ashley's pocket again. He looked at the Axgrinder with a distant look. "Really, everyone, it's a _giant_ camp. How about we just turn back and have a drink at the Kithkin town? I'm thirsty!"

"Come on, I'm sure I've got a card here for this," Ashley assured, searching through her cards. "Something, something… maybe this? It's got a giant in the picture, too."

She took out a card and showed it to everyone: Glimmerdust Nap. It depicted a giant fast asleep, with a faerie freely picking at its dream.

"Looks good to me," Viktor said, looking at it. "We'll need something to get us close, and quickly. I don't think Fighting Drake is big enough for all of us."

"Don't you have a Simic Sky Swallower?" Makoto asked Viktor. "It's huge, we could ride it."

"Too big a profile," Kelly argued. "Sis, don't you have some enchantment for being unblockable?"

"Yeah, it's this," Ashley said, taking out Infiltrator's Magemark. "It'll enchant us so we're impossible to find. We can get close with this, enchant the giant to sleep, and get into the cave."

"A well-versed plan," Enris agreed. "Winnower Patrol, get ready to strike."

In little time, the group of eight cloaked themselves with the Infiltrator's Magemark, and they stole across the grassy plain toward the rock cliff, where the cave and giant camp was. When they drew close, Ashley cast Glimmerdust Nap, speaking quietly. When the spell was cast, thousands of blue and silver sparkles swarmed toward the giant, who looked up in confusion at the magic bearing toward him. He started to snarl a loud giant word, only to have the magic press into him and induce unnatural sleep. The giant collapsed to the ground, making a shudder as he hit.

"And the beast is downed," Enris praised, watching Ashley's handiwork. The giant snored loudly, his massive chest swelling and falling steadily. A thin cloud of the sparkles surrounded his head, locking him in slumber.

Taking advantage of the enchantment, the group hurried across the open grass, watching out for any other giants happening by. They ducked behind a large wooden crate, just as a second giant stomped out of the cave mouth. It was smaller than the Axgrinder, but still towered at over twenty feet. His muddy brown hair waved in a sudden breeze as he surveyed the landscape. He took several more steps, then saw the slumbering Axgrinder and a look of dull surprise crossed his face. The small giant walked up to the Axgrinder, rumbling Giant words and nudging it with a foot.

Certain that this would be the last giant, the eight left the cover of the crate, so that the giant would not see them. They reached the cave mouth and entered it, feeling the air grow a little colder and damper as the cave's conditions took over. Signs of giant inhabitation were clear; some stalactites and stalagmites were broken off by giant feet of heads breaking them off. There were chewed carcasses of wild animals and boggarts everywhere, some skeletons and others partly decomposed. There were also parts of giants' armor lying around, soaked with giant body odor and perspiration. Simply put, the cave smelled terrible.

"How about we find the captured Kithkin _quickly_?" Devin stated, pinching his nose. "Forget giants seeing us, the smell is worse."

"I agree that haste will be necessary," Enris replied. "But let's not be careless on the process. Look there, the giants placed a sentry bird." He pointed, and Viktor saw that a large green and blue bird was perched in a crude wooden post. The animal roved its head side to side, watching the wide cavern with its beady eyes. It cawed quietly.

"Maybe this way," Kelly suggested, pointing down a smaller branch cave. "Pretty out of the way."

Enris and his Winnower Patrol elves crept forward, checking the side passage for enemies. Seeing none, they motioned for the others to follow, and the five kids dashed after them. They struck luck; just a hundred feet down the side tunnel, they reached a round room, big enough to hold a large house. Along the walls were several large wooden cages, and Kithkin women and girls were in them.

"We did it!" Viktor breathed. He approached the nearest cage, where the Kithkin started babbling and begging for release. Viktor found the lock to the door, or rather, thick ropes that kept it closed. Giants were clearly not smart enough to use locks, so they tied knots only they had the strength to loosen. But the Giants hadn't been prepared for Naturalize, and the spell soon had all cage doors creaking open, and the dozens of Kithkin rushing out, giving their thanks.

"Okay, now what?" Makoto asked, seeing the large cluster of liberated Kithkin. "How are we getting them all the way back to the town? I know we can't just rescue one and leave the rest, but still…"

"I'm not sure either," Viktor confessed, searching his deck as curious Kithkin watched. "Fighting Drake is too small for this many, and Devin's Volcanic Dragon would probably try to eat them. Plus, the giants would see that many escapees."

"We will devise a plan as we leave," Enris assured them, starting toward the tunnel. "Please. I can't tolerate this stench or ugliness in here."

"C'mon, we've got more to worry about than ugly carcasses around here," Devin muttered, but he followed Enris with the others through the tunnel. Viktor knew that the elves were obsessed with beauty, finding it the most important thing possible. They also hated ugliness, calling non-eves "eyeblights." The eves went as far as to even exile disfigured elves, to maintain a perfectly beautiful society.

The crowd made it into the main cavern without incident, with no giants in sight. They all swarmed down the cave, making sure not to step on anything that could crunch or clatter to raise a ruckus. The first Kithkin were just starting to exit the cave mouth suddenly, when a hair-raising squawk pierced the cool cave air. Viktor jumped in his armor, his heart rate accelerating. "Holy sh —" Devin started, in response. Viktor heard flapping and saw its source: the green and blue bird was screeching and flapping its wings in alarm of the escaped Kithkin.

_Damn it! _Viktor cursed. He had forgotten about the bird! It didn't take long for its alarm to take effect; shuddering footsteps came closer, until the small giant loomed at the cave mouth, and his stupid eyes peered in. He stared dumbfounded at the crowd of Kithkin, then pulled back his lips and snarled. He unsheathed his rusty giant sword, swinging it down and leaving a nasty gouge in the rock. The Kithkin cried out in terror as they recoiled from the blow, and the kids, too.

The giant huffed as he took a step into the cave, slamming his sword down again. Finally, someone came to his or her senses, as a bolt of crackling lightning shot forth and fried the giant's chest; Devin had used Shock. Wounded, but not defeated, the giant swung his sword a third time, knocking Devin off his feet, cutting him with rock shrapnel.

"Nagao!" Makoto cried wildly, summoning the samurai warrior, who occupied the giant. "Come on, let's go!"

The crowd hurriedly poured out of the cave, into the fresh air and sunlight. Though the small giant in the cave was trading blows with Nagao, Bound by Honor, more giants had arrived. From the direction of the Axgrinder, two giants with wooden clubs stomped forward, and a third giant with a staff approached from the opposite direction. Within seconds, Volcanic Dragon, Sengir Vampire, General Takeno, and Fighting Drake engaged the three giants. The elves assisted the creatures, using their nimble attacks and deadly weapons to harass the giants.

The fight was even, Viktor thought. Maybe even good. The summoned creatures fought with valor, fending off the giants. But just as the tide was turning, a new set of footsteps caught everyone's attention. Two trees cracked and fell over, heralding the arrival of a new giant. Feeling fear clench his stomach, Viktor turned and saw a giant _berserker. _This giant wore only a loincloth, a bloodstained and ragged one. He was of average height, but only that. He had muscles that seemed to strain his skin to the limit, and cruel brass knuckles adorned his fists. Four spikes, each as long as Viktor's arm, were attached to the knuckles. The berserker hunched, spread his arms wide and gave a deathly roar.

"Holy Sky Swallowers," Gerbie squeaked. Ashley fainted.

The berserker thudded forward with alarming speed, his bare feet leaving imprints on the ground. It shoved a fellow giant aside, and threw a fist at the five kids. They narrowly dodged, and the fist exploded into the ground. A fountain of dirt sprayed at the contact, and crater was left when the giant pulled his fist back. There were four conical holes in the crater from the spikes.

"Vine Trellis!" Viktor said desperately as the berserker came his way. The wall of vines and branches materialized at once, only to have the berserker sweep it aside on one blow, reducing it to a pile of debris. Viktor backpedaled quickly, into the cover of a pile of crates. However, the berserker paused, then in three seconds dealt four more blows. Only splinters were left of the crates, forcing Viktor into the open.

"What are we gonna do?!" Devin cried, as the berserker came his and Kelly's way. It planted another blow into the ground, sending him tumbling. Devin called over his Volcanic Dragon, which fired a gout of flames at the berserker's back. The berserker snarled in pain, then swung a fist at the dragon, grazing the dragon with the spikes on his knuckles. The Volcanic Dragon moved in close to attack with claws and teeth, but that was a mistake. The dragon clamped its jaws on the berserker's left arm, drawing blood. In response, the berserker threw the dragon off and planted his fist into its body, pulverizing it and sending the ruined dragon to the ground.

"Jesus!" Devin cried. "Nothing works! Maybe one of Ashley's stunning cards?" Another double fist strike sent him scurrying as he spoke.

Viktor looked around frantically, looking for a way out of this. Maybe even Thorn Elemental would be no match for the giant. He saw Ashley lying there, and his mind drifted to Gerbie, who was huddled in her pocket, probably scared out of his wits. _"Holy Sky Swallowers," _the gerbil had said, upon seeing the berserker.

Viktor felt his hand drift toward his cards. That was it! Simic Sky Swallower! The beast was a 6/6, with flying _and _trample. It could be a match for this monster, and even carry them all to the town! As the berserker shifted its attention back to Viktor, Viktor found his Simic Sky Swallower and cast it.

A vast, snake-like form flew from the card, twisting and taking shape in the air. The berserker paused, confused, as he watched the Sky Swallower take form. The great Sky Swallower was like a serpent of the sky, over thirty feet wide. It sported nasty spines in a row along its back, as well as four larger spines on its head like flattened antenna. Its mouth was a mass of curving, talon-like yellow teeth. It growled quietly, its rumble growing louder. Then, it lunged for the berserker. The giant grinned and planted a fist into the Sky Swallower's gut, only to have its belly spines rake the giant's arm. The Sky Swallower hissed and snapped forward with its head, sinking its hundreds of teeth into the giant's shoulder.

"Yes! Kick his ass!" Makoto cheered. The giant cried out and pummeled the Sky Swallower in an unprotected area, wounding it. But the Sky Swallower wasn't done yet. Keeping the berserker in place, the Sky Swallower thrashed the berserker with its great body, crushing it. The giant groaned as its body was pulverized under the Sky Swallower's sheer bulk. It was dead in seconds.

The Sky Swallower hissed hungrily as it turned away from the defeated berserker and eyed the crowd of terrified Kithkin women. The other giants had been defeated, and the summoned creatures returned to their cards. Now that the battle was over, Viktor was able to organize the escape, and the Simic Sky Swallower was their ticket out.

"No! Don't eat them!" Viktor shouted up to his Sky Swallower, which groaned in disappointment of a forbidden Kithkin meal. "We need to fly back to a Kithkin town. All of us are going to ride on you. Fly high so nothing can attack us, okay?"

The Sky Swallower did not like the idea of having the role of airplane, but under Viktor's magical control, it had no choice. It lowered itself until it was lying on the ground like a tremendous snake, with its tail acting as a boarding ramp. "Okay, everyone!" Viktor addressed to the Kithkin crowd. "To get back to town, you'll have to ride this creature. It can fly. Don't worry, it won't eat you. I can control it. Everyone aboard!"

The Kithkin were understandably nervous about riding the Sky Swallower ("It's a demon from the underworld! I'd be more of a snack than a passenger!"), but they nevertheless advanced up the Sky Swallower's tail like a ramp. The five kids and three Winnower Patrol elves climbed on, too, and the Sky Swallower took to the skies.

Late in the evening, the Kithkin town finally came into view, its presence evident by the lamp lights in the houses and taverns. From way up high, Viktor could see that many animal pastures, sheds, and other farm-related structures. Upon Viktor's command, the Sky Swallower dipped lower into the sky and landed its bulk on the ground. Viktor could see the entire town's worth of Kithkin massing toward the Sky Swallower, to greet the returned women and girls. As soon as the rescued Kithkin disembarked the Sky Swallower, their numbers combined with the town's Kithkin, and many happy reunions were the result.

"Aye, you've done a good thing, there," a familiar voice said into Viktor's ear. Turning around, Viktor saw Grellis standing behind him, with a Kithkin woman standing next to him. Both were beaming.

"I figured we couldn't leave any behind," Viktor answered. "Besides, you forgot to tell us what your wife looked like. I had to get them all."

"Oh, sorry 'bout that," Grellis said in good humor. "You and your friends are heroes! Got over a quarter of the town back. And you know what the best part of it is?"

"What?" Kelly asked, as she and the others came up.

Grellis winked and pulled out his pipe. "Why, we're gonna throw a festival for the return! Food, drinks, merry jesters and more!" as he said this, other Kithkin men agreed by cheering and tossing their hats into the air. Someone broke out an accordion, pumping out a rapid and merry tune. The hundreds of Kithkin cheered and scrambled to start organizing the party.

"I think I like this town!" Devin said, watching the merry Kithkin prepare. The others laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 7

By Louis Kemner 2008

It didn't take Viktor long to deduce that the Kithkin in the town had long since bottled up their merriment and party habits for some time, by the fierce way they celebrated the women's return. In less than half an hour, the central square had been cleared off, and lanterns, long decorative ribbons, and tables had been set up. Hundreds of diminutive Kithkin played banjos, accordions, and other country instruments in merry tunes while others square danced to the music and drank ale or gobbled down exotic foods. Grellis and his wife had no trouble in finding Viktor and the others and encouraging them to join in the party till dawn.

"I guess one night off won't hurt," Kelly reasoned, watching the activities.

"Are you kidding? It's definitely time to party!" Devin cheered. The five of them had stashed their decks in a safe place in Grellis' wife's second house in town, so only their guardian cards were with them. Viktor had been nervous about putting their cards away, but Grellis had reassured him that the Kithkin thoughtmeld would keep any intruders at bay. Unwinding, Viktor joined everyone else in the celebrations.

"Here, here, another on the house!" a bartender hooted, pouring Viktor as third helping of a dark, vodka-like drink. "Have some more, lad! Ha ha!"

"I have no clue what this is," Makoto said, poking at a lump of meat with vegetable and sauce toppings.

"That-a there woulds be Merrow meat with Elvish sauce made from spices and Elemental saliva," Grellis explained in passing, as Makoto took a careful bite. Upon hearing the last part, he promptly spat it out and scrubbed his tongue with his fingernails. "Bleagh!" he complained. "Tastes — wait. It doesn't taste bad at all!" the others laughed. Gerbie had come out of Ashley's pocket and was roving around the table, sniffing and sampling food.

"What's all this slop?" he demanded, turning his nose up to some soup. "I only eat Simic growth solutions, and Bio-Fertilizers invented by Mormir Vig himself, brewed in special Izzet-created cauldrons with enhancement properties…"

"Shut up and eat," Devin laughed, poking the animal. Gerbie squeaked and jumped to everyone's amusement, then wandered over to a tankard of ale. He stood up on his hind legs and gripped the rim with his forepaws, and sniffed the contents. He then took a few draughts, and said woozily, "Besht stuff ever! Huh-huh. Where's-a more, huh? Hey?" Everyone had a good laugh at the giant, drunk, talking gerbil.

Some time later, a few Kithkin, three women and two men, advanced on the group at the tables.

"You 'humans' can't just lay around like a dying Treefolk," one of the women smiled. She took Viktor's arm. "Come on! Dance with us!"

The other Kithkin reinforced this statement, so the five of them took partners and danced to the lively music even as a few firecrackers were set off and exploded in the late evening air. Viktor could definitely feel himself relaxing and enjoying himself after his adventure at the Giant camp. The strong Kithkin ale, coupled with the exotic food and loud music, seemed to dull his senses but give him giddy enjoyment. He laughed as he watched Ashley struggling to dance gracefully in the arms of a Kithkin man with a wide brimmed hat and a piece of straw clamped in his teeth. The night seemed to last forever.

At some point, many of the Kithkin halted their festivities and turned to face the same point, all of them cheering and whooping in joy. Viktor stood up to see what they were looking at, and saw an old Kithkin woman in black robes slowly walking forward. She had withered skin, intelligent eyes, and long, gray hair. She used a cane that had Boggart claws decorating the head and Merfolk scales of different colors, making vibrant patterns. Though old and apparently frail, she smiled warmly and raised her arms in greeting as she came forward.

"Who's that?" Devin asked Grellis.

"Ar, there's old Aldalone, the village elder," Grellis told him. "She's the most celebrated Kithkin alive round these parts. She was a rare she-warrior. It was said she swam with the Merfolk in the mornings and wrestled giants in her youth. She had helped save our village many times, and journeyed long and far, gathering wondrous lore from all over Lorwyn. She's past her prime, of course. No more heroics. But her mind's one of a kind. Just listen to her tales and enjoy her fortune-telling."

"Did you say fortune telling?" Ashley asked Grellis excitedly. She was rather into fortune telling and other superstitions.

"Right I did," Grellis confirmed, taking a full tankard and taking a draught. "She learned it from the Treefolk Sage Theletan at the base of Mount Skyroar. All the women and girls love their fortunes read, as well as some men. You can ask her for your fortunes, too, of you want."

Viktor turned up his nose. He wasn't into fortune-telling and superstition like that. He was a prestigious young man, and wasn't that dumb. If the others wanted that service, fine.

Old Aldalone stood on a stage, and cleared her throat. She embarked on her tales, starting with saying how she hadn't come to the village in several years and she had missed it. She then went on to weave fantastic tales of adventure and lost lore from all corners of Lorwyn, much to everyone's delight. She was an excellent storyteller, Viktor thought, using her voice just right to set moods and imitate others' voices. Her own voice was surprisingly high-pitched, Viktor noticed, and rather smooth. Perhaps her age didn't affect her entirely.

Once her tales were done, she announced, "Well, now we move on to the part everyone likes. Come up, come up, and have your fortunes read, everyone. I haven't done this in years, but I think I have kept my touch…"

"Let's go!" Ashley told the others, and everyone but Viktor joined the line to have Aldalone read their fortunes. Ashley was one of the first ones.

"Ohhh, you have wondrous lines on your hands, young dear," old Aldalone crooned, turning over Ashley's hands in her own. "You'll live quite long and happy, I see, and you will be blessed with many happy little children, too…"

A few people in line laughed, and Ashley smiled with them and let the next person take their turn. A few more Kithkin, then Makoto, then Devin, and finally Kelly took their turns, and the four kids rejoined their companion at a table.

"Have fun?" Viktor asked, slightly irritably.

"Come on, don't be bitter," Ashley reprimanded. "It's just for fun. You've seen how many weird things are here. This is nothing." Even as she said it, two metallic green faeries flitted overhead, fighting over a giant tooth, arguing about who was brave enough to fly in the beast's mouth and extract the tooth. Devin looked up and laughed at the sight.

Viktor looked elsewhere, and saw three Kithkin soldiers in silver and red armor meeting and talking in grim tones. Viktor got up and moved closer to hear.

"There's a mighty bad scent coming round," one of the soldiers told the others. "I reckon boggarts and flame-kin coming closer."

"Can't be," a second said. "We raided the boggart camp earlier and they were all dead or scampering off like cowards. And flame-kin don't like this area."

"Two scouts saw a lot of movement," the first argued. "There's something going on. I've got to report to the captain and tell him to bolster security. Empty out the barracks and get more men out. Plus, everyone's partying. Perfect night to invade."

"If you say so," the third agreed, and the three parted. Viktor watched the empty scene for a second, then turned to find Grellis dancing by, totally drunk and singing a crude song about things Viktor didn't understand or want to. The night was peaceful for a short time more, with old Aldalone relaxing in a corner of the party, smoking a giant pipe with thick black smoke and staring at the sky. Until…

Someone gave a shout, and then a second. Heads turned, and everyone witnessed a single Kithkin guard flying through the air and land heavily in the middle of the dance floor, skidding. He was dead and severely burned. Kithkin began to shout and run around, panicking. More shouts came from the area of the first two, and clanging could be heard. There was a thump, and a second guard was catapulted into the air like the first, but was still on fire.

"What's going on?!" Makoto demanded to no one, but that was what everyone else was wondering. At once, a terrible screech rent the air, and a tremendous, ruby-red dragon emerged over the housetops, with many small boggarts and Flame-kin clinging to its limbs and tails. The dragon snorted and released its cargo, and the boggarts and flame-kin landed and began to attack everything within reach, including setting houses ablaze.

"Rally!" a Kithkin soldier shouted, and dozens of silver-and-red clad soldiers poured from the shadows and crossed swords with the invaders, even as archers stood on rooftops and fired. The party-goers attempted to flee the scene, some making it as others were felled by crude boggart arrows and Flame-kin fire balls.

"Damn! We have to help!" Devin cursed, reaching into his pocket for his deck. Viktor did the same, but his hand only met his key card, Thorn Elemental. What the… his deck was put away and now out of reach! _Why _did he and the others let their guard down so easily? They were all fools.

The dragon overhead gave a crescendo roar and loosed a beam of flames that enveloped a tavern and roasted the three archers on top, even as the boggarts slowly pushed the Kithkin militia back. Though the Kithkin were good soldiers, and felled a number of their foes, they were outmatched, especially the dragon overhead. It snapped its jaws, then dived and caught two party-goers in its jaws and ate them.

"We've got no choice but to use the key creatures," Kelly told everyone else. "They're the only creatures we have!" As she said this, another wave of boggarts and flame-kin came from another direction, threatening to flank the outnumbered Kithkin defenders. She held up her card.

Quickly, five massive creatures joined the fray. Above Ashley flapped the majestic Isperia the Inscrutable, its human face wise and its sphinx body powerful. The blazing and twisting Ryusei the Falling Star, for Devin, locked eyes with the invading dragon. Then, there was Konda, Lord of Eiganjo for Makoto. The old, powerful man wore fierce orange robes, and his long white hair and beard waved impressively in the wind. And there was Kuro, Pitlord for Kelly, a giant demon with wild black hair and powerful hands. Finally, Thorn Elemental joined its brethren, and the five of them promptly ravaged the invading army and dragon.

"We've got reinforcements!" the Kithkin captain shouted, and the few remaining Kithkin soldiers cheered and backed up. Within minutes, the invading army was slaughtered, but the carnage didn't end there.

"Yes!" Makoto cried, yet he was shocked to find that Konda, Lord of Eiganjo had turned and stabbed in Makoto's direction with his ninja dagger. Makoto dived to avoid the blow, and saw that Isperia the Inscrutable slammed a paw at Ashley. The crazed sphinx shouted and continued to attack Ashley like a cat after a mouse.

"What in —?" Devin started, looking up. Ryusei, the Falling Star loosed a swath of fire that Ashley narrowly blocked with Carom. The fire was redirected and hit a burning building instead, causing it to collapse. Kuro, Pitlord was likewise crazed, swinging his giant hands after Kelly.

A sinister and female laugh wafted through the air among the carnage, and the five key creatures stopped to find its source. Old Aldalone strode forward among the bodies and flaming buildings, apparently unaffected by her age. She was the one laughing with a wicked smile; the effect gave Viktor the creeps. Her voice didn't match her at all. But he thought it belonged to someone else…

"Hey! Aldalone!" Kelly called. "What's going on? Why are you laughing?"

Aldalone didn't answer, but instead drew herself to her full height. She spread her arms wide, and promptly grew taller, even as her hair rapidly turned black and her skin grew smooth. A stunned Viktor witnessed old Aldalone transform into a tall and hauntingly beautiful woman in a black and green outfit, with a tall collar around the back. Her fingers and nails were long and sharp. It was —

"Elena!" Makoto gasped, realizing who it was. She had returned!

"Well well, what a wonderful reunion this is," Elena said, hovering a few feet in the air. "We meet again, Spirit Hosts!"

"So that's what you call us?" Viktor asked. "Some of the Eight Spirits inside us?"

"Exactly what I'm talking about," Elena answered. "And what's this? All your key creatures out at once. That's very convenient for me. I would… like to _take _them."

"They're our creatures, not yours," Ashley said defiantly. Isperia growled and gazed at Ashley hungrily.

"It doesn't look that way to me," Elena laughed. "Your key creatures no longer acknowledge any master. Too bad you don't have your other creatures around, huh? There's nothing you can do —"

Unexpectedly, even as Viktor felt a surge of hatred at the woman before him, Thorn Elemental lunged forward and swept one of its prickly wooden hands at her, and Elena only just avoided the blow.

"How dare you?" Elena said silkily, then raised her left hand and fired a beam of white energy at the Elemental as it attacked again. Viktor recognized the Chastise spell; destroy target attacking creature. The Thorn Elemental groaned deeply as the spell repulsed it. Then, in a surge of movement, it broke free of the spell and stabbed its fingers forward. Once again, Elena moved to avoid it, but was a little slow this time. One of the Elemental's fingers inflicted a foot-long gash on Elena's side, and red blood was produced.

"Yeah! Get her!" Devin called. Ryusei's nostrils flared at the smell of blood and dived after the wounded Elena. In response, two massive pairs of wings erupted from Elena's back, like drake wings. With a flap, she took flight and flapped on top of Ryusei's head, and tapped the dragon's forehead, and it recoiled.

"It will take more than this to defeat me," Elena told everyone. "Don't you know of my power?"

"Like what?" Viktor snapped.

"I can more than cast spells," Elena said. "I can, you see, absorb creatures and people at will and add their bodies and power to my own. I can thank an Azure Drake for my flight, here. I may demonstrate with Ryusei the Falling Star here…" she landed on the confused Ryusei's head and placed her open hand on the scales. At once, red energy crackled around her hand and Ryusei roared in protest. More energy surged out of Ryusei and into Elena, then she stood up and fired a beam of fire at Viktor, who was helpless since Thorn Elemental was too far away.

Expecting the fire to engulf him, Viktor was surprised to find a glowing gold rune blocking the fire and banishing it. Looking around, Viktor found an impressive sight.

Standing among the five kids was Ajani Goldmane, the white Planeswalker. His long, golden mane waved in a nonexistent wind, whipping about his face and along his back. His powerful lion legs looked like they could catapult Ajani into space, and his powerful paws held a double-ended staff, each end with a giant ax-like blade.

"Ajani Goldmane!" Devin gasped. "You're…"

"Elena," Ajani cut in, his mighty and deep voice like an avalanche. He looked up at his subject with fierce feline eyes. "You dare show your vile face in this world again? Many years have I and my brethren hunted you for your crimes. What is happening here?"

"Well, if it isn't the little lion cub," Elena glowed, with a sick imitation of a woman crooning over a kitten. "Ajani Goldmane, isn't it? You came just when everything was getting fun. I was demonstrating to these children how I can absorb other creatures. Would _you _like a sample?"

"Do not play games," Ajani snapped. He huffed and twirled his double ax staff in his hands. "Your abilities are a desecration of our universe, Elena. Jace Beleren informed me you had arrived in Lorwyn and were about to unleash your latest scheme. And here I stand."

"I can see that," Elena commented. "Dou you think that only you and one Thorn Elemental can take me down? Silly kitty."

"No more of this!" Ajani roared, slamming one end of his ax staff into the ground, and a shock wave of white energy surged from that spot even as Elena fired dozens of fireballs in a swarm. The shock wave ring expanded into a circle that encompassed Ajani and the five kids, and a dome of faint gold light appeared to block all of the fire attacks.

The fires subsided, and Ajani huffed and swung his ax in rapid twirls. Golden energy lances flew from the ax edges with each swing, and they closed in on Elena's position. To the Planeswalker's surprise, however, Elena was not there. Instead, she was ten feet behind him, her right arm that of a giant. She effortlessly moved her oversized fist for a sucker punch that Ajani only narrowly had time to withstand with his ax staff. He was pushed back and tumbled backwards across the ground, near a blazing building.

"Ajani!" Ashley cried in concern, rushing forward. Isperia hurried to intercept her, snapping with its jaws to eat her. Ajani only had enough time to fire three more gold lances that struck the sphinx, stopping its attack cold and making it recoil, discouraged.

Elena laughed in amusement. "Isn't this so much fun?" she asked, her arm back to normal. "Isn't it?"

"You witch," Ajani cursed, getting to his feet. "You desecrated the key creatures, didn't you? With your vile plans."

"Oh, so you figured out how I got into this lovely position?" Elena praised.

"That I did," Ajani responded. "You arranged so the Spirit Hosts would rescue the women of this town, giving cause for celebration and merrymaking. You influenced the Spirit Holders so they would be separated from most of their spells, and took on the elder's body. You cursed the hands of the Spirit Hosts so their creatures would disobey, and unleashed an attack the Kithkin could not withstand. The Spirit Hosts would be forced to summon the key creatures, so the creatures would run to the far corners of Lorwyn and you could hunt them down, one by one, and absorb them."

Elena gave a mocking series of claps at Ajani's explanation. "You have a big brain, Ajani," she said. "I could never hope to take the creatures so long as they were in a group. Splitting them works better for me. Now, how about I kill you and get on with my business? I have a lot of work ahead of me."

"How dare you take this lightly," Ajani warned, taking a step forward. "You desecration!" he twirled his staff again, then turned to Viktor. "Who commands this Elemental?"

"I-I do," Viktor hastened to tell him.

"Then use it to help me destroy Elena here and now," Ajani said. "Quickly!"

Elena wasn't content to sit idly while they talked. She promptly turned herself entirely into an Azure Drake, and with a screech, dived for an attack. Ajani thrust one end of his ax-staff forward and the wood creaked. The handle extended suddenly, and the staff doubled and then tripled in length, and the deadly ax end grazed the Drake Elena's haunch.

Screeching again, she made a tumbling maneuver and swooped in close for a side attack. With a command, the Thorn Elemental swung one arm, and a hailstorm of wood needles launched in a volley, piercing Drake Elena all over. Ajani shot his ax forward again, only to have it slice empty air. Drake Elena swooped high and rapidly transformed into a Giant, thudding onto the ground and knocking her opponents off balance.

At that moment, a squad of Kithkin soldiers crept out from the blazing buildings, gripping their silver swords tight and wary for ambush. They advanced behind the giant Elena, hoping to catch her from behind. However, she used them to her advantage and grabbed them in her massive fists. She hurled two of them at Ajani and Viktor and launched a fireball soon after.

"Avoid harming the Kithkin!" Ajani commanded as he rolled to avoid them. The fireball got a little close and seared Ajani and Viktor's flesh, giving Elena time to throw another one. Ajani avoided that and fired several light lances. To the leonin Planeswalker's horror, Elena tossed three more Kithkin in the path of the lances and they took the brunt of the attack. Using the time, Elena transformed back into her normal self with Drake wings and swooped in to attack. She held the last two Kithkin as living shields.

Ajani had no choice but to dodge Elena's dives and attacks, in fear of striking the Kithkin shields, putting him at a disadvantage. Thinking quickly, Viktor ordered Thorn Elemental to fire wood needles to force Elena to drop the Kithkin, and it worked: the wood needles pierced Elena's hands, and she dropped the Kithkin in surprise and pain. Once they scampered away, Elena flew down and stood on her feet.

"This has gone on long enough," Ajani stated, advancing on her. "It's time to destroy you."

"Can you back that up?" Elena challenged. "You haven't defeated me yet, Ajani." Green energy started to wisp around her hands and arms.

"No more," Ajani said. He prepared his staff, and it began to glow gold. "This is it!"

In one movement, Elena and Ajani charged at each other, and green and gold collided in a titanic burst that shuddered the ground. Viktor had to cover his face and stagger back from the force of it as the conflict resolved. The energies filled the air, then faded away slowly. Viktor saw that Ajani was lying flat on his back, badly wounded and burned. Elena, on the other hand, almost didn't exist. Her body was fading and tattered, and was more ghost-like than anything. Rage and malice replaced her evilly cheerful expression.

"You… wicked cat," she sputtered. "Almost killed me…"

"Ajani!" Viktor cried, rushing towards his fallen comrade. A spark of green energy repulsed him.

"Impressive that you almost got me," Elena hissed. "You haven't won yet, Spirit Hosts. Even with a great Planeswalker helping you. The four key creatures are free to roam the planes on their own accord. I _will _find and then absorb them. It will only be a matter of time until all of the Multiverse and Earth are under my subjugation. Fare…well." In a flash of light, she faded away completely, leaving the burning wreckage, Ajani, and teenagers alone in stunned silence.

"Hey… are you okay?" Viktor asked Ajani Goldmane, approaching the injured Planeswalker again. This time there was no interference. Viktor picked up his card and returned Thorn Elemental to it. Around him, Ryusei, the Morning Star, Isperia the Inscrutable, Kuro, Pitlord, and Konda, Lord of Eiganjo all left the area in different directions on their own accord. There was nothing anyone could do to stop them, and they had soon vanished into the night.

"I… still live," Ajani said weakly, looking up at Viktor. Devin, Makoto, Kelly, and Ashley had all come to him. "I am sorry that I couldn't abolish that abomination. I have failed."

"Don't say that, you almost killed her and she's gone," Ashley said. "She hasn't won."

"She had the victory of loosing the key creatures to the wilderness," Ajani stated. "Now the Multiverse is in graver danger than ever. Elena will reconstruct her body in time and hunt down the key creatures and absorb them. Your only hope is to get to them before her, and that none of the other four key creatures are cursed and released."

"Okay, but we have to treat your wounds first," Ashley told him, then ran off to the place where all the decks were and returned with them. She took Viktor's Heal the Scars card and applied its effect. Gentle green mists enveloped Ajani's wounds and mended his damaged flesh, and he was soon in more stable condition. With Viktor and Devin's help, he was on his feet and asking to be given a place to rest for the night. Kithkin had come out and were dousing the fires from water from wells, and were hospitable to the great Planeswalker.

"Yes, the 'leonin' Planeswalker may rest in one of our tavern's rooms tonight," one Kithkin said briskly. "The same goes for the rest of you. You are all heroes for defeating the invading army as you did and protecting our town. You have our thanks."

Viktor, his friends, and Ajani were led to the said tavern, through the ravaged town. However, something caught Viktor's eye. In the night's darkness, he could rather easily see the Kithkins' eyes. Looking closer, Viktor saw that their large eyes had a faint yellow glow to them, making them seem almost cat-like. He found it rather strange to see. They also seemed to avoid looking at or interacting with the humans and Planeswalker, avoiding eye contact and keeping their distance. Viktor thought he recognized these traits from somewhere, but where?


	8. Chapter 8

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 8

By Louis Kemner 2008

As he and Makoto, Devin, Ashley, Kelly, and Ajani Goldmane ran for their lives from a horde of murderous Kithkin to escape the town, Viktor felt gratitude for Ajani's foresight by setting up protection barriers in their tavern room the night before.

The Aurora of Lorwyn had fallen over the entire Plane the night before, casting the sunny and ideal world into a permanent and eerie night. Viktor was aware of the Aurora's effects in the ShadowMoor and Eventide card sets, and wasn't thrilled to imagine the creatures they would be facing. He hadn't been expecting it to happen right as he and the others came to visit, but it occurred to him that Elena probably caused it to happen at this time. She had a power to alter and manipulate minds, events, and forces of nature and magic to suit her will, and this was no different. The Kithkin had transformed into violent, xenophobic monstrosities, bloodily shunning anything that wasn't Kithkin from their lands and homes.

It figured, since Viktor and the others were in the middle of the town when it became a figurative hornet's nest, and they had to struggle to get out. The Kithkin had opened the door to their tavern room and found five humans and a Leonin slumbering within. As Lorwyn Kithkin, they had welcomed the visitors and given them a room. As ShadowMoor Kithkin, they had a very dramatic change of mind about the outsiders.

"Remind me why we don't just kill them!" Devin exclaimed as he and Makoto dodged a volley of flaming arrows from the Fire at Will card. "Wouldn't that be easier?"

"And arouse the hostility of other Kithkin towns?" Ajani said, avoiding arrows with feline grace. "The towns may have thoughtweft tendrils connecting them to each other. Slaughter one town, and others may hunt us to avenge their fallen comrades. We don't need a war with both Elena _and _Kithkin. They will give up once we are too far away and stay far away."

"That better be soon!" Kelly said as she jumped over a foxhole in the ground. More arrows thudded into the ground around her feet, vivid in the "morning" light. It was always dark, since Lorwyn was now ShadowMoor. Morning and mid-day were merely less dark than other times, making visibility better. Behind the escaping group of six, the Kithkin rabble's hundreds of glowing eyes looked almost like the night sky in the country, but those were lights of hate, and not innocent lights in the sky on Earth.

Finally, reaching the safety of the forest's edge, Viktor heard the Kithkin leaders shouting to give up the chase and return to the town to organize patrols. It was obviously time to put distance between the group and the town forever.

"These woods will be respite from the Kithkin, but not danger as a whole," Ajani warned everyone. He hefted his double ax to a more comfortable position. "Be aware that Gwyllions, Scarecrows, Trows, Cinders, and Boggart gangs frequent these woods and other terrain types. Be prepared. My magic cannot stay them all."

"Gee, what a nice walk in the woods," Devin said sarcastically, but he understood the danger ahead of them. "Aren't we also going to get the Key Creatures back? We can't let Elena get to them first."

"Right," Viktor said, scratching his head. All around, the woods echoed with menacing and haunting sounds: howls and calls of horrid beasts, nerve-jingling rustles of leaves and underbrush, and an occasional demonic cry of a predator on the chase. The sounds were twisted, demented, and somehow _wrong _in their nature. A dark version of Lorwyn, indeed. "I think Isperia the Inscrutable flew this way, past the woods and to a lake. Our first target, unless anyone disagrees."

"I agree we should get Isperia back," Ashley agreed. "And she's my Key Creature, too. Let's make her our top priority."

"And here is _my _top priority," a smart voice said from Ashley's area. "Getting back to Earth to find a big bed, all huddle under it, and shiver in fear from the scary stuff here." Gerbie the talking gerbil emerged from Ashley's pocket and surveyed the unfriendly forest around him.

"What is this?" Ajani asked, peering at the tiny animal. "A familiar? And a cowardly one at that."

"What in Razia's name did you call me, you big pussycat?" Gerbie snapped back. Victor suddenly felt a rush of humor, watching a talking Gerbil and lion Planeswalker trading remarks. "You think you can disrespect the pinnacle creation of Mormir Vig's biotic genius? Well?!"

"I only allow your remarks because you are no harm to me or the rest of us," Ajani responded, clearly irked by the Gerbie's words. "You would do well to act as a scout for us rather than a distraction. We have a mission that will alter the fate of the Multiverse."

"Big talk for an old furball like you," Gerbie fired back. "I'm not some scout. I'm here to enjoy the ride. Seriously."

"But you're a furball, too, Gerbie," Makoto pointed out. "You have fur."

"Oh, yeah," Ashley realized. "Don't be a hypocrite, Gerbie. It's not nice."

Ajani bared his fearsome teeth and anger flashed in his deep eyes. "This tripe gets us nowhere," the Leonin cut in, stopping everyone. "Abandon the scout concept. We must _still _make our way to the Key Creature closest to us. No more time wasting."

"Ajani's right," Ashley agreed. "We're vulnerable standing around anyway."

"Pip, pip, children," Gerbie told everyone, sinking out of sight and back into Ashley's pocket. "We're burning daylight yakking. Wait, there's no sun anymore. We're burning night."

"Then we'll go along this way —" Viktor and Devin said, starting through the foreboding greenery again, toward Isperia's location. They were cut off, however, by a force that ripped through the air before then and crashing into a tree to their right. Both boys yelped and jumped backwards to avoid the danger. There was heavy stomping and loud rustling of foliage as a big something forced its way closer.

"What is it?" Ashley asked in fear, her eyes joining everyone else's at the sounds' source.

"Get ready!" Kelly called out, and just in time: Everyone ducked as a giant clanking, creaking mass burst from the leaves and into the open, sending screws flying everywhere like missiles. The projectiles thudded into trees, and over the kids and Ajani; they had all thrown themselves down. There, standing in the open, was a scarecrow: Lurebound Scarecrow.

The mechanical monstrosity gave a deep and chilling bellow that forth a gust of sent rust-scented air. The Scarecrow was over seven feet tall and lopsided, composed of jagged, serrated, and twisted metal. It stood on a tripod of three crooked legs and had two gorilla-like arms that could smash rocks. It lurched forward, mobilized by Kithkin enchantments, and swung wildly. The group only barely had time to avoid the blows and take standing combat positions all around.

"Isn't that Lurebound Scarecrow?" Makoto asked, looking at it. "You need permanents of a color to keep it, right?"

That fact was confirmed by multiple appearances of red-skinned, barbaric Boggarts from the shadows. The little beasts were savage and bloodthirsty, as opposed to their crude but noble Lorwyn cousins. The Lorwyn Boggarts would steal pies from windowsills and sheep from pastures: these would go on mindless rampages that would leave trails of defiled, withered, rotting bodies behind. To make mattes worse, a second Lurebound Scarecrow lurched into the scene and set itself for a fight.

"Let the battle begin," Ajani stated, twirling his double ax staff.

Ten Boggart raiders gave a lusty cry and pounced like imps towards the encircled group, with both Lurebound Scarecrows backing them up. The ground shuddered and the air trembled from the force of the attack.

"Battle-mad Ronin!" cried Makoto. "Azorius Guildmage!" exclaimed Ashley. "Burning-tree Bloodscale!" said Devin. "Elvish Warrior!" said Viktor. "Vicious Hunger!" cried Kelly. The five spells worked in tandem, along with Ajani's might: the three fighting creatures stayed the Boggarts and Lurebound Scarecrows, with the Azorius Guildmage and Vicious Hunger Spell undermining the attackers. The trees and ground trembled from the force of the battle, until the Lurebound Scarecrows managed to get the upper hand, destroying the Burning-tree Bloodscale and Battle-mad Ronin, and injuring the Elvish Warrior.

"Maybe if we kill all the Boggarts, the Scarecrows will die?" Devin suggested wildly, narrowly avoiding a Boggart's rusted and crude blade. The Scarecrows had taken a number of blows but were only slowed down; their lack of pain or blood made them difficult to stall or destroy. If it weren't for Ajani's protective spells, one of the kids may have been badly hurt by this time. The biggest problem was that the woods were too restrictive of a space for Thorn Elemental or Simic Sky Swallower, or even Volcanic Dragon. Just four creatures made things cramped.

"Then slay the little devils!" Ajani declared, beheading a Boggart raider with an ax jab. There were only three left, and the Scarecrows were starting to stagger and slow down. Stalling them further with Twiddle, to tap them, Viktor managed to regenerate Burning-tree Bloodscale, who lured all Boggarts to itself and killed them all. The move was just in time: both Lurebound Scarecrows had gotten very close and had nearly ripped Makoto to pieces and successfully slew the Azorius Guildmage.

With their red creatures gone, the Lurebound Scarecrows staggered and halted, with horrible metal screeching and grating as their energies dwindled. Taking advantage of that, Battle-Mad Ronin, Elvish Warrior, and Ajani destroyed the Scarecrows. The mechanical beasts emitted more ear-splitting screeching and wailing, thrashing like animals in pain. Finally, they burst into pieces that flew off into the twilight woods and out of sight. A chilling silence followed.

"We thank you for your service," a familiar voice said gratefully, and four newcomers burst out of the gloom. Viktor gave a gasp as he recognized Enris, the leader of an elf Winnower Patrol. The elf had a new scar along his chin, and nicks on his horn. The other three elves had green and white, bone-like armor and serrated swords. One rode atop a deer; it was a Wilt-Leaf Cavalier.

Ajani raised his double-ax again; the elves poised their own weapons for combat. Ashley cried, "No, Ajani! The elves are our friends."

"Correct. We have no quarrel with you 'humans'," the Wilt-Leaf Cavalier said. "We give our gratitude for you slaying those unsightly Scarecrows. Those two and their Boggart cohorts have been harassing the Safehold defense for some time now, disrupting our war against the encroaching darkness of this cursed world."

"Glad we could help. But we're on our own quest," Viktor told them.

"Is that so?" Enris replied. He sheathed his sword. "A shame. You five have much power, as well as this cat-man. Our numbers dwindle by the day struggling against the unsightly ones. Why, the other day, a massive flying beast went soaring that way." He pointed roughly in the direction Isperia had gone.

"That's what we're pursuing," Viktor told Enris. "But not to kill it, capturing. It's important that we find it before our foe does."

"And what foe could find such an interest in such a fearsome and powerful monstrosity?" one of the elves asked. "The beast has obliterated all in its path. Not even a dozen Noggle Hedge-mages could fell it, or a swarm of flying Scarecrows."

"Believe me, it holds great power we must harness," Viktor said. He hoped to satisfy the elves' curiosity without giving too much away about the nature of the hunt. Being experienced in Elena's manipulation and trickery, no one was safe to trust.

"Well, then," Enris said thoughtfully, running his fingers down the length of one of his curling horns. "Perhaps a pact may be made. If we accept you into the Safehold and work with us, we will help you find your beast. In return, we ask for a portion of its power, or guidance to find similar power. We need every advantage possible against the army of eyeblights out there. What say you?"

"Should we do it?" Kelly put in. "Keep in mind that last time we accepted a deal, it was with Grellis and that led to us losing our Key creatures at the outdoor celebration. And in Ravnica, joining the Selesnya led to our separation and Devin getting possessed, and Ashley's capture by the Dimir."

"But Elena was almost destroyed," Makoto pointed out. "She's probably too weak to do anything. I bet she needs all her strength just to stay alive."

"Well, then what's the rush with finding the Key Creatures if Elena is too weak to go after them for their strength?" Devin asked. "We could take our time and find more reliable allies or something. Or just do it ourselves. We have Ajani Goldmane with us!"

"No, I'm sure Elena would zero in on Isperia to use its strength to recover," Kelly said. "She's bound to have the strength for that left. And though Ajani is strong, him and us together couldn't kill Elena. And who else besides the elves can we trust? The Kithkin hate outsiders. The Merrows are devious, Cinders murderous, Gwyllions selfish, and so on."

"Then that's it," Viktor said. "We have to work with the elves. They're our best bet. I'm sure Elena can't control them for her gain _and _pursue Isperia at the same time. She's probably putting priority on Isperia and leaving everyone else alone." To Enris, he said: "We agree to work with you, elves. We both have something to gain." Now, what he would do to give elves power of the Key Creatures, he didn't know. But that would have to wait.

"The Safehold welcomes you, Humans and cat-man," Enris announced.

"Leonin," Ajani corrected with a feline huff.

"Leonin, forgive me," Enris went on. "Come. The dangers you just braved won't be the last of them in these cursed woods. Follow." The five kids and Ajani followed the elves to their safe lands.

Not too far away, in a fetid and steamy swamp frequented by nasty Merrow cutthroats and wandering Boggarts, there was a disturbance that had every creature on edge. Next to the murky shore, a massive and grotesque mountain of creature bodies lay in a fused mass, with legs, wings, claws, heads, and more combined in a mound. This disgusting assembly had been piled together with inhuman speed the night before, from across multiple planes. Green energy pulsed between the bodies of creatures like a heartbeat, until a woman's voice crooned, "Now, that should do it. It's time!"

At once, the body pile gave a sizzle and began to melt inward like a pile of candy in the sun. The mass gave a glooping and glopping series of noises as it coalesced into a smaller and smaller form. The hundreds of bodies began to take a human form, until they finally gave a green shine and imploded into a woman's body. The air around it hummed and vibrated with the force of it, and waves broke out in the swamp even as animals in the woods scurried away from the unnatural phenomenon. At last, the shine was gone and Elena stood tall and regal on the soft ground.

"Well. I feel much better now," the woman commented, admiring her hands and her arms, and feeling her face. "Damn and bless that Ajani Goldmane in one, hmmm? I lost my grip of the children but got this _wonderful _new body. I think one of the Key Creatures isn't far away, no, no. But I won't be alone in this. Let's test the limits of my now power!"

Elena extended her right arm, and it began to grow and morph until it became a bulging mass of writhing flesh. The mass detached itself and went flying away several feet. Armless, Elena grew a second right arm and repeated the process, and now a second mass joined the first, which began to morph into a new shape. Three more masses formed and were expended, and they all transformed into beings.

"It's so much better to be in company," Elena told herself as five men made their way to her. Each was modeled after two allied colors combined: the blue-white, with his gold angelic armor and flowing, sage-like blue robes; the green-white, with shaman-like garments and a fan-like armor piece behind his head; the red-green, with rough animal skins and wooden and iron armor for clothing; the red-black, with spiky, jagged armor of iron and blood-red; and blue-black, with his cloak and hood of midnight black and ocean blue. Each had a green jewel set in his forehead. These gems gave them power from their mistress, and were difficult to destroy.

"My Lady," the five of them intoned, bowing at once.

"Welcome, Five Hunters," Elena told them all. "You serve only me, of course. Your mission is: find the four Key Creatures and tame them. I will operate in the shadows; you five are my weapons. Do you understand?"

"Yes," the Five Hunters acknowledged, standing up.

"Very nice," Elena praised, now walking down their ranks; they stood in a straight line, still and at attention. She grazed her finger along the blue-white one's cheek as she walked by him, almost lovingly. "You will be Halae-Norana, or Gamma," she told him. Halae-Norana nodded.

"You are Evalyn Weltha," she told the green-white one, tracing her finger along his jaw. "Epsilon."

And to the red-green: "I name you Harshuk Melothon, otherwise Delta."

Red-black: "Be called Quenjak Zamgor, also to be Beta."

Finally, blue-black: "You will be Selthis Merana, or… _Alpha_," Elena told the blue-black man softly, her evil green eyes locked onto his, with the appearance of burning love or desire.

"Now, I want to of you to nicely find Isperia the Inscrutable for me and bring her to wherever I am," Elena told the group. "I have no time to waste. The children who are my adversaries pursue the same game as I. Don't let me lose this race."

Two of the Five Hunters complied and set off into the wild, dark forest, hunting Isperia. Elena watched in satisfaction, then sent the other three to search in the other planes to find the other three Key Creatures.

The woods of ShadowMoor grew no less oppressive or haunting as the group advanced, now in the company of Enris and the other Safehold Elves. The elves had amazingly sharp reflexes for the creatures that burst out of the gloom, from hasty Noggle mages, to bands of Boggarts, and wandering Gwyllion hags looking for victims. It was nothing the kids and Ajani couldn't handle, but they still had to admire and appreciate the elves' abilities and resolve. It was clear that Enris and the others were highly experienced and used to fighting the wild creatures.

"You smell something?" Devin said after nearly an hour, his head tilted back a little as he sniffed the air. "Like a fire?"

"I smell much the same," Ajani agreed, his cat nose well honed for detecting scents, however faint. "It is of noble wood, I can tell, with wicked flames to blame. And it comes from directly ahead of us."

"This bodes ill," Enris cursed, quickening his pace. Panic and anger both broke through the elf's normally calm and passive face. "It comes directly from the Safehold outpost's direction and location! Quickly!"

As soon as the group broke free of the woods and into a small clearing, they were met with the sight of a noble and elegant wooden bastion ablaze with red fire. There were a number of elf bodies all about, most charred or slashed. A cloud of black smoke rose slowly from the flames that fed on the wood of the Safehold outpost. Worse still, hundreds of Cinders of all shapes and sized ran about like devils, cackling and fighting the remaining elf defenders, or else setting fire to the unburned wood wall segments.

"Whoa! Oh man!" Devin exclaimed, yet his outcry was drowned by the enraged and grief-imbued cries of the elves. Enris and the other three elves charged into the clearing, giving the other six no choice but to follow. Upon catching sight of the elves and kids, all of the Cinders stopped what they were doing and ran pell-mell into the other end of the woods, toward another, larger clearing near a wide river. The river had a sturdy wooden bridge spanning its width. Giving chase, Enris and the six followers pursued the retreating Cinders well through the woods and onto the river's banks.

"What's going on?" Kelly wondered out loud. "Why are they running? They can't know about our power. And this many Cinders could overwhelm us."

"Cast aside such thoughts!" Enris raged. "Pursue and slay every foul Cinder who runs from us!" the Cinder crowd turned and ran along the riverbank, and the Elves followed.

Viktor was about to move when a flash of a presence burst into his mind, sending him reeling: there were two incredibly powerful beings here, unseen in the scene of pursuit. And then a majestic sight met his eyes: Isperia the Inscrutable, the proud, beautiful, and powerful sphinx of the Azorius, was on the other side of the river, fanning its wings and giving sad and distressed calls. More Cinders surrounded it, like a gang of thugs around a woman with valuables in her purse. Isperia was their goal.

"Enris and the Cinders have gone too far! We have to get to Isperia!" Viktor told everyone.

"Are you nuts?" Kelly demanded. "Enris and the other elves will be killed by the Cinders! The elves are driven by vengeance but are giving a fool's chase. We have to help them first!"

Ashley expressed her agreement, and Makoto too.

"It could be another of Elena's tricks!" Viktor rebutted. "You know she has ways of luring us apart from each other or our Key Creatures. It's happened twice already, and this is it again. Come on, I feel bad for Enris and the others, but we have our own mission. And don't you feel those two powerful presences? They could be part of the trap."

"Look, this wasting our time," Makoto put in angrily. "I'm going after the elves before they get killed by the Cinders. Come on!" he ran off after the elf and Cinder crowd down the river.

"Don't be heartless, Viktor," Kelly told him. "We have a duty to help them, _then _ourselves! Can't you see it?" she and Ashley took off after Makoto and the elves, and Ajani too.

"You're being stupid! Isperia is too important to miss!" Viktor shouted after them all. "Damn it… Twiddle!" Viktor's spell attempted to tap Kelly, Ashley, and Makoto, to stop them before a powerful being descended on them. The three of them stumbled and fell, their progress halted just in time: a man in red and black spiky armor dropped down right where they would have gone.

"Viktor! How dare you!" Kelly yelled back.

However, there were other troubles. The man in red and black looked sinister and powerful: red-black spiky hair flowing backward over his head, red-hot iron armor, and spikes on his shoulder armor pads. A green jewel the size of a thumb glowed in the middle of his forehead. He took a step closer.

"Well, Gamma, it looks like this is working out," he said in a menacing and evil tone. Everyone looked about to see whom he was talking to; then, a second man, in blue-white robes and gold armor pieces appeared out of nowhere, twenty feet away from Viktor. The second one had a similar jewel in his forehead.

"I can't wait for this," the second newcomer gloated. "I take care of these two over here no problem." He was looking at Viktor and Devin as he said this. He raised an arm, and a wavy beam of light energy shot from his finger. Viktor and Makoto barely had the time to jump away before the beam zapped the ground where they had been standing. A small crater formed where the attack struck.

The man laughed and fired two more similar attacks, sending the two defenders tumbling to the ground from the ground, stunned and battered. They didn't even have time to cast a spell to defend themselves.

"Look, Beta! They can't do anything but dodge!" the blue-gold man cackled.

"Don't play games, Gamma," the red-black one snapped. "Just kill them already. I will have these three burned away short of a minute."

"Oh, fine," the blue-gold one, Gamma, pouted. Viktor was stunned by this development and curious too. They were called Beta and Gamma, the Greek letters? And they were colored after Allied colors? Plus, they had it in for the five kids, clearly. Did this have a connection with Elena?

Taking advantage of the occupation, Viktor fired Fighting Drake and the beast launched itself at Gamma like an azure javelin. Still looking at his companion, Beta, Gamma twirled into the air, swung over the Fighting Drake, and produced a gold pike. The weapon was ornate, curving, and beautiful, but wielded in wicked hands. Gamma punched the pike straight through Fighting Drake's gut, sending the drake tumbling to the ground, screeching and flailing as it was dying. Devin launched a Fireball in desperation, with a globe of raging fire racing toward the enemy.

"Time to show you what I can do," Gamma told them, turning away from Beta. He raised his right arm, hand out with his palm facing the incoming Fireball. A ripple of light blue energy steamers emanated from his hand, encompassing the Fireball. The blue magic, infused with white now, obliterated the Fireball, leaving nothing.

"My specialty is nullification and freezing!" Gamma declared, now raising both hands. "Shame I can't show you more, but I have better things to take care of than two foolhardy children. This is my Level 1 Freezing Attack. Fire!" a thudding wave of blue and white plasma enveloped Viktor and Devin, slowing their movements to less than half of normal. Gamma produced his ornate gold pike, and launched himself like a pouncing predator on the two helpless boys.

"Heeyaaaaa! Die!" Gamma screamed. One second later, the gold pike clanged against… the arm of a tall man in dark blue and gray robes with white circles. The newcomer was between Gamma and the two boys, only two feet in front of the latter party. His head was bowed, hiding his face under his hood. Gamma's gold pike struggled against the stranger's shielded right arm, which held the pike at bay with iron resolve.

"What in —?" Gamma started, struggling to move the pike. "Who are you?"

The stranger raised his head, and his hood moved far enough to reveal one glowing blue right eye and a wave of hair covering the left.

"Foul offspring of the Defiled One, I am Jace Beleren," the newcomer said in a deadly quiet, but projecting it for everyone to hear.

"Jace?" Devin repeated. "The blue Planeswalker?"

"Correct," Jace responded. "I sensed the threat of your death and was obligated to interfere. Even in Ajani's company, these two are beyond you. Circumstances are always hard to work with."

"Well, it's Jace Beleren," Beta noted, one hundred feet away. He regarded Ashley, Kelly, Makoto, and Ajani. "It's hard to keep anything private when Planeswalkers are involved. I'm unsure of Gamma's prospects against him, but be warned I'm no Gamma."

"What was that?" Gamma retorted at his companion. "I can easily dispose of two Planeswalker-enhanced kids and a real Planeswalker. You take care of four if you can. This will be over in less than five minutes."

"Say what you want," Beta called back. He stepped back, raising his left arm as he did so. From his iron and steel forearm armor extended a scythe-like blade, three feet long and glowing cherry-red from magical heat pulsing through it. The edge was keen enough to split hairs that fell on it. Beta's black-red spiky armor clanked as he shifted into a combat pose. "Ready, everyone?"

"Let's roll," Gamma grinned nastily, finding the power to release his pike and jump back. A blue-white aura of incredible magic power wavered around Gamma, and an even stronger charcoal and red one around Beta.

"Stay close to me and follow my plan," Jace told Viktor and Devin. "If you want to leave this plane alive. This won't be easy for any of us."

Viktor and Devin were ready.


	9. Chapter 9

Magic: the Gathering

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 9

By Louis Kemner 2008

Standing ten feet away from Jace Beleren, with his blue-white aura surrounding him like a cloud of ominous mist, Gamma sneered. "I like your spirit, Planeswalker," he said. "It won't be enough, though. You should know who I am first." He twirled his golden pike in a rapid, complex, and expert series of movements like a golden blur in the air. "I am Halae-Norana, the fifth of the Five Hunters of Lady Elena, or else Gamma. It's the last name you'll ever hear."

"Enough small talk," Jace commanded icily, shifting his footing. "Battle me and my allies if you are brave and foolish enough to."

"Isn't he kind of weird for a blue-white guy?" Devin whispered to Viktor as the two of them took up positions behind Jace Beleren. "Acts more red than anything."

"Yeah," Viktor agreed, eyeing their foe. It was a strange contradiction.

"Don't worry about that," Gamma responded. "It won't make a difference when you're dead!"

Whipping his pike around, a wave of mana-infused air arced towards the defenders. In response, Jace grabbed hold of Viktor and Devin and, with surprising strength, leaped over the river and landed on the opposite shore. Isperia the Inscrutable growled and frowned at the threesome coming close to her, but was still occupied with the Cinders surrounding it. Apparently, the Cinders were there to merely keep Isperia at bay.

"Running won't help!" Gamma called, leaping in a similar fashion to stand opposite of the three others. He twirled his pike a little more. "Want to fight next to the Sphinx? Fine. Once you're all dead, I'll capture her and take her to Lady Elena. Beta's Cinders will make sure she stays put until I'm ready for her. They're stronger than they look."

The two strangers suddenly made much more sense for Viktor. Apparently, there were five of these Hunters, with Gamma being the fifth. They must be intended to Hunt the Key Creatures and capture them before the kids could. They probably had Planeswalking powers in that case. This battle would decide what would become of the first found Key Creature, Isperia the Inscrutable.

"Now, when I move, be sure to stay close to me," Jace told Viktor and Devin in a low voice. "It is important for my strategy. When I say to, summon the best creatures you can. You will attack with them only when I say."

Viktor and Devin nodded their understanding. They didn't have any inkling what Jace Beleren had in store for the battle, but they hoped it would be enough to defeat the monster before them.

"All right! First move!" Gamma shouted enthusiastically. He jabbed his pike forward, firing a beam of marble-white mana. Jace and the kids had the time to tumble to avoid the beam as it gouged the dirt. To back it up, Gamma also launched a pulse wave: the Freezing Attack Level 1. Jace was too slow to avoid it; the Freezing Attack hit him head-on, sending him tumbling away. He shakily started to get up, but too slow to avoid follow-up attacks.

"No! Jace!" Viktor cried, as the Planeswalker shakily struggled to get up. Cackling, Gamma infused his pike with mana energy and pounced forward for the kill. However, before Gamma could reach his target, a small blue explosion knocked him off his feet; it came from the ground he landed on. Stunned, Gamma tumbled away from the momentum of his landing and the explosion.

"Gah! What was that?!" Gamma spat as he got to his feet. "A mine, or what?"

"How sharp of you," Jace said. The Freezing Attack effects had already worn off.

"Damn your tricks," Gamma snarled as he prepared for another attack. He trotted forward, already prepared to attack again. Gamma prodded the ground before him with his pike. The move worked: once the gold weapon poked a certain patch of dirt, a similar explosion was triggered.

"Well well! How predictable!" Gamma gloated. "I can just detect them and you're defenseless!"

Jace responded by dashing to the side, away from where the mines were. "Attack him! Before he does!" he told the kids.

Complying, Viktor launched Elvish Warrior and Devin unleashed Shock. Gamma, however, was able to easily nullify the moves. "Useless!" he retorted.

Gamma rushed forward, prodding the ground before him with the pike. Tripping no mines, Gamma was able to close the distance entirely and jab at the three defenders at close range. Quick as ever, Jace narrowly avoided the attack and leaped high over Gamma's head, back the way where Gamma had come from. Again he carried the two kids with his hands.

"Bwa ha ha! Cowardice is your only tool!" Gamma exclaimed. He whirled around and charged once again to the three targets. To Viktor's utter surprise, however, another mine detonated under Gamma's feet, knocking him over again. This gave Elvish Warrior the time to give Gamma a quick slice and Devin a successful Shock.

"What in the —?" Gamma cursed, stopping himself from tumbling. "How?! There was no mine there. I poked that very area to make sure of that!"

"That mine was set to detonate the _third _time it's triggered," Jace explained. "I figured you'd know to check for mines, so I set that one there. That's why I jumped over it. The first trigger was your check. The second was your running over it to get to us, then the third was your second charge. You should of thought of my jump as suspicious."

"Don't you make a fool of me!" Gamma raged, gripping his pike hard as he got up again. "Maybe I'll just finish you right where I stand, huh? Freezing Attack Level 1!"

Again the blue waves were unleashed. This time, however, they seemed to hit a barrier and rebound on their caster. Gamma was rendered slow by his own attack. Viktor had no idea how it happened, but he had to act fast anyway. Elvish Warrior was too ineffective; he cast Llanowar Behemoth, and that, aided by Volcanic Dragon, inflicted considerable damage onto Gamma. The defender was able to strike back, though, and wound his two assailants.

"Now what?" Gamma cried. "What vile deed did you do, Planeswalker?"

"Look," Jace said simply, pointing. There, hugging onto Gamma's chest, was a homunculus, meager and meek. However, it clearly had damage and effect preventing spells placed on it; even the Volcanic Dragon's fires hadn't put a scratch on it.

"That homunculus will focus on your attacks and rebound them on you," Jace went on. "It's useless to use your moves now. You're done for."

"Not so fast! How did the damn thing get there?!" Gamma demanded.

"In the triple-triggered mine's explosion," Jace answered. "You were surprised and distracted enough to allow it to come out of the mine and get onto you. You won't be able to get it off."

"But why not put it in the first mine?" Viktor asked Jace. "He was surprised then, too."

"I had to be sure the enemy would fight on foot first, making mines practical. Also, the triple-trigger mine was a special one, difficult and time-consuming for me to make. I didn't make a second special mine, so I used the one I already had, and remotely guided the homunculus into it underground during the battle. I guided in the homunculus when I was sure the enemy would be on foot. If he flew, I would have used a different tactic."

"How about that," Gamma said, attempting to mask his frustration and anger beneath a calm tone fitting his colors. "I guess I have no choice, then."

"What do you mean by that?" Jace asked in a genuinely calm tone.

"This is only a fraction of what I can do," Gamma glowed, focusing on his magic aura. Viktor felt his magic energy suddenly skyrocket and still go up. Apparently he had been holding the bulk of his power in reserve. Dread collected like creeping frost on Viktor's stomach.

"He's going all out," Beta noted, watching the semi-distant battle. "I didn't think he would have to go that far. I suppose you all have some spell-casting talents after all, then."

"You bet we're talented," Makoto retorted. "Come on, red-black man. Why don't you take us on, if you're so haughty?" Several of the kids' creatures were summoned and ready for combat at any time. "You've got your hands full with this. Are you scared?"

"No," Beta answered simply, looking unconcerned at the deadly armada of creatures before him. "Let me show you why." Kneeling, Beta pressed his palm to the earth, apparently releasing magic energy into it. Seconds later, the very surface seemed to be rising as a tremendous mound rose behind Beta. Ashley gave a gasp as the titanic, and very grumpy, Loamdragger Giant rose like a nightmare from hell behind the dwarfed Beta, over fifty feet tall. The giant punched the ground with the energy of a train wreck and gave a roar of the ages.

"Watch," Beta told his four opponents. As soon as the almighty Loamdragger Giant reached out with a vast hand, Beta almost seemed to vanish. In fact, he was a red-black bur, moving like a bullet. He jumped diagonally into the air, avoiding the Giant's hand, and went from its right foot to its left shoulder in less than a second. Immediately following the super-fast move, the Giant was rent in half by a single slice, a cut over thirty feet long. The flesh was instantly charred and corroded.

Giving only a gurgle for a reaction, the Giant fell in two halves, dead. Beta raised a hand and fired a tremendous wave of red-purple fire that completely engulfed the Loamdragger Giant's two halves. When the flames subsided, only a wide swath of scorched earth was left.

"Oh my God," Ashley whispered, getting faint. Ajani huffed nervously at the raw display of insane power and shifted his double-ax with agitation. Kelly did her best to reassure her frightened sister.

"That was one third of my full power," Beta informed the quartet casually. "Still want to fight?"

Gamma's magic aura more than doubled in strength, and still grew. Concern crossed Jace's face, and that struck Viktor and doubly bad. Jace was clearly an expert fighter and tactician, but if he was unsettled, that wasn't good.

"Now then!" Gamma exclaimed. Blue-white energy arced around his pike, until the homunculus leeched it and the energy struck at Gamma like a whip. Narrowly ducking the attack, Gamma suddenly got a thoughtful expression. Adding even more mana energy to the pike, the homunculus strained to rebound it but was unable to.

Taking quick advantage of that, Gamma made a move, and then seemed to vanish in a blue-gold blur. In the blink of an eye, Gamma was in Jace, Viktor, and Devin's midst, taking them completely off guard. In a quick motion, Gamma gleefully swung and stabbed his mana-infused gold pike about, piercing Viktor's ribs, knocking Devin off his feet, and stabbing the pointing end deep into Jace's armored body. The power was unreal; Gamma moved faster than any being Viktor had witnessed before, almost like a blur. They were helpless!

"Looks like I win!" Gamma stated triumphantly to his wounded opponents. Zipping forward again, he kicked Jace in the stomach, punched Viktor in the gut, and threw Devin ten feet away with great force, in mere seconds. "I'll admit you all were a good challenge, but not even your homunculus can save you! Freezing Attack Level 2!" the familiar blue waves emanated again, paralyzing Gamma's enemies. Gamma moved in for the kill and received a surprise: his three paralyzed enemies vanished in poofs of blue mana. They stood twenty feet away, alongside their summoned creatures.

"So, teleporting to save your mongrel hides?" Gamma noted. The three were still affected by the stronger Freezing Attack; they were utterly helpless.

"My homunculus can't redirect attacks of that magnitude," Jace wheezed. "It took the last of my energy just to teleport myself and the children out of harm's way. Damn."

"Why don't I take it to the final level, then?" Gamma said. "A nice, big finisher: Freezing Attack Level _3!" _

Viktor cowered, covering his face with his arms in preparation for the titanic attack to come. Devin did much the same; Jace stood like a statue. The Freezing Attack Level 3 charged — and slammed back on its caster, mercilessly trapping Gamma in a powerful cocoon of freezing magic.

"Nooooo! Impossible!" Gamma roared, struggling futilely. His eyes bugged out in rage and confusion. "Your pathetic homunculus couldn't even deflect Level 2, let alone this. Explain yourself, Planeswalker!"

"I'm under no obligation to tell you anything," Jace responded icily, taking a few threatening steps forward. "But I will anyway. My homunculus can actually redirect an attack of almost any magnitude, certainly anything you can do. But redirecting Level 1 was ineffective; at that rate, you would have hurt my allies' creatures more than they would you. So, I had to feign weakness to goad you into using more powerful attacks. You tried Level 2 to test the limits and found utter success. Then, you 'took it to the final level' and performed Level 3 to finish us off. That attack would be and is enough to trap you to a satisfying extent. How long does this Freezing Attack Level 3 last?"

Gamma's jaw worked as he fought internal panic and rage. "An entire day," he answered, his voice laden with hate and resentment.

"More than enough time," Jace commented. "Viktor, Devin, if you will."

"It feels… kind of low to attack him like this," Viktor protested, watching Gamma struggle against his own binding magic. Though this man was a follower of the vile Elena, he was already defeated.

"Pity for one such as he will be your downfall," Jace reprimanded. "Defeating Elena is for the sake of the _entire Multiverse. _Feelings for your foe will make this impossibly difficult. If you strike hard enough, he will feel nothing as he is reduced to nothing. He does not fully live; the Hunters' lives are connected to Elena. A part of her will die. She will feel it and suffer."

That thought encouraged Viktor. Nodding to Devin, he summoned Simic Sky Swallower, the vast beast growling with hunger. With a command, Simic Sky Swallower and Volcanic Dragon struck Gamma with all their might. Jace added his own attack into the fray: when the attacks collided, a tremendous explosion rent the ground and created a massive crater. Viktor, Devin, and Jace were thrown back by the force of it but unharmed. A wavering beam of emerald green light shone up from where Gamma's body had been, then vanished. At last, the battle was over. Gamma was obliterated. Only the innocent-looking homunculus remained.

"And it is done," Jace said simply, walking forward to check in case any energies remained. He unsummoned the homunculus with a wave of his hand. Devin let out a triumphant whoop, and Viktor gave a grin. Perhaps there was hope after all.

"Huh. There he goes. The fool," Beta stated, watching his partner's demise. "He was overconfident from the beginning anyway. But Isperia _will _be mine."

"No it won't!" Viktor yelled, as he and Devin rushed forth to confront their other foe. "We beat Gamma and we're ready to do the same to you!"

"Viktor…" Ashley started. She intended to warn Viktor of Beta's superior abilities but was stopped. In a red-black blur, Beta zoomed right into the five kids' midst and released a shock wave of fiery mana energy, stunning and roasting them all.

"Damn this!" Ajani roared, stomping forward. "No more, spawn of the Defiled One!" he began to cast an offensive spell.

"It's no good," Beta said in a tone one would use on a child. With lightning speed, he made furious slashes at his targets, leaving blazes of purple and red fire in his wake. The mana he gave off dwarfed anything Gamma had; he clearly outclassed the other. In no time, the kids' spells and creatures were swept away like leaves in an autumn wind.

"He's… too strong!" Makoto cried unnecessarily, out of frustration. Worse, Beta's strength was only increasing; the six defenders were almost to a fiery defeat. The elves were all killed by Beta's furious onslaught, including Enris.

"Kelly!" Viktor cried. The girl had been sent sprawling, and unable to get up. One leg was already badly damaged, and she had taken other injuries, including several gashes and a burn in her chest.

"You're the first to die, then," Beta said, and raised his hand. A beam of blazing flames gushed forth; Ajani's protective spell protected Kelly from the worst, but was quickly being overwhelmed. Viktor felt a sudden pulse of strange energy within him; it was almost like he acquired a new heart. The energy thudded in him again, like a bizarre heartbeat. Everything seemed to slow down and stretch and contort; Beta's merciless fire seemed to crawl like a snail coming out of its shell. Running forward, with complete disregard for his own life, Viktor forced his way through Beta's assault, pick an injured and barely conscious Kelly up, and begin to run.

"Viktor! What —?" Someone cried in surprise. Viktor could not tell who, only heard the words that meant nothing to him. Time seemed to be speeding up again to normal pace, and the danger he faced became more real. Still carrying a now unconscious Kelly in his arms, Viktor confronted Isperia the Inscrutable, the others with him. The massive sphinx snorted and pawed the ground, displeased with his presence. Wasting no time, Viktor took Ashley's useless Isperia card, held it up, and bellowed Isperia's name. The Sphinx gave a cry as it was transformed into pure blue mana and absorbed into the card like a black hole.

"Quick! Our other cards!" Viktor yelled; Beta was closing the distance, his arm scythe eager to slice everyone apart. The Cinders that had surrounded Isperia were equally determined. Somehow avoiding Beta's and the Cinders' furious attacks, the five Key Cards were touched together. The familiar black portal warped into existence once again, absorbing the five kids into it. The cards with without Key Creatures could still form the portal; not having the creatures only meant Elena was capable of getting them. Beta and the Cinders threw a titanic, final attack at the quintet of kids but were too late: they were gone from ShadowMoor, back to Earth.

"Damnation!" Beta cursed, stomping his foot in anger. "Foul children!"

"You have lost, vile Hunter!" Ajani told him triumphantly. "You have failed your wretched mistress, the Defiled One. Bring her news of your failure and be ashamed!"

"I have no more quarrel with you," Beta growled at the Leonin and Jace. "Next time our paths cross, Planeswalkers, it will be you who will be dead. My Mistress is far from defeated. Until then." In a flash of red, Beta and his Cinder minions were no more.

"You four have good timing. Visiting hours have just started," a nurse at the hospital told Viktor, Devin, Ashley, and Makoto. "Your friend is just a few doors down from here. Remember to be quiet and respectful, please."

"We will," Viktor assured her, and then led his group down the white, pleasant hall of the hospital. They pushed open the door to Kelly's room, and a caretaker admitted them inside. A radio quietly played music from Kelly's favorite pop band, but the bedridden girl turned it off when her four friends came in.

"Hi," Devin said simply as he entered with the others.

"Hi, guys," Kelly responded in an unusually firm voice for one in her condition. All of her right arm was in bandages, as well as her chest. Her left leg was in a cast under the light blue blankets, appearing extra large. The caretaker nodded and left, closing the door behind her.

"H… how are you, sis?" Ashley asked Kelly, standing by Kelly's side. She was a rather delicate person, and this event had traumatized her far more than the actual victim. Once Viktor had brought the five back to Earth, in Makoto's front yard, Ashley had been very distraught had needed to be helped back home.

"I'm doing better every day," Kelly answered cheerfully. Ashley had visited at least three times a week, as well as their parents. To explain Kelly's injuries and the early return, Viktor explained that Kelly had gotten into a terrible cab wreck in New York City, and the once Kelly was out of critical condition, the five flew back to their city.

"Oh, we all brought you these," Makoto said, and he revealed a glass vase of flowers he had hidden behind his back. He set them on Kelly's bedside table.

"Wow, they're beautiful," Kelly said, adoring the flora. "Thanks, everyone, they're nice. I've gotten a few visitors from the high school, and they wish me well. They were jealous of my 'trip,' but they wouldn't be jealous of the dangerous places we've been going."

"Yeah," Devin agreed. "We're the lucky five who get to save the world. The other world, I mean. Multiverse."

"Oh, I forgot," Ashley said in a realizing voice. "There's one more thing for you."

"What is it?" Kelly asked. "I don't see anything."

"Right… aargh… in here!" a muffled voice strained from in Ashley's pocket. A few seconds later, Gerbie the talking gerbil pulled himself out of Ashley's jacket pocket, dragging a hideous plant-like thing with his teeth. The gerbil dragged it onto a flat expanse of Kelly's sheet and let it go, and then shook his head.

"Tastes worse than goblin giblets soaked with Dimir brain juice and cooked over a Rakdos Fire-Demon's head flames," Gerbie complained, licking his chops to remove the taste. The dark green plant, roughly the height and twice the thickness of a dandelion, got up and stood on its own, without any soil or a pot. It had six wide leaves at the top, fanned out like a snowflake.

"Whoa. What is that?" Kelly asked, watching the self-moving plant.

"A Simic Rainbow Weed," Gerbie explained proudly. "I insisted on a Gruul Flamerose or a Sprouting Phytohydra, but Ashley demanded this one instead. It's a good choice; these plants are sold to and are popular among civilians with a green thumb, as a way of funding the final stages of Experiment Kraj."

Viktor found the last few words interestingly similar to the text on the Experiment Kraj card and gave a grin. "We teleported to Ravnica to get this," he said.

"Nice. So how does it get its name?" Kelly asked, her eyes on the plant.

"Watch," Devin said, producing a violet gem the size of an egg. "It's a mana stone. It helps the plant work in a non-magic place like Earth." Placing the Rainbow Weed on the gem, colors began to fade into view all over the plant's surface. Within seconds, hundreds of beautiful colors swam and contorted all over the leaves and stem, like a music visualizer. Thousands of specks of color sparkled all over like glitter, flowing around almost like water.

"Whooaaa… I love it!" Kelly beamed, picking up the Rainbow Weed and its gem, and placing both on her bedside table next to the vase of flowers. The magical stone kept the plant balanced on top as it continued its dazzling display.

The five of them carried on pleasant and ordinary chat, though Viktor and the others had a terrible sense of despair and frustration underneath. Gamma and Beta's displays of insane power had them all scared; they had never faced anything remotely like them! Though they had succeeded in capturing Isperia the Inscrutable, it nearly cost them Kelly's life, and they had no leads on the other three: Kuro, the Pit Lord, Ryusei the Falling Star, and Konda, Lord of Eiganjo. The feelings were probably amplified by Elena's lingering manipulation, but that fact didn't change the dread and fear that clung to the back of their minds. Even so, they enjoyed being back on Earth and talking like ordinary teenagers.

Finally, Devin, Makoto, and Ashley declared their intentions of departing for other activities. It had been a shock settling back into the real world, with high school, college, sports, and jobs to tend to. There wasn't any fighting goblins or giants or allying with elves; Earth was just as demanding and scary as the Multiverse, in a much different way. Only Viktor was left in Kelly's room, feeling slightly awkward. The other three were making their way down the hallway, objecting to Gerbie's claims that the hospital should start using Golgari human fertilizers to speed up wound recovery.

Viktor shifted uneasily for a second, wondering why he felt compelled to stay behind a little. He approached Kelly in her hospital bed, trying not to be too distracted by the Rainbow Weed's dazzling displays.

"Are you okay?" Kelly asked, meaning mentally comfortable. Viktor simply stood for a second, then managed to speak.

"I'm just… glad I got you out of there in time," he said simply. "I mean… the red-black guy was really too much for us, and there were the Cinders…"

"Yeah," Kelly agreed. "It's a miracle I'm the only one hurt, and I'm recovering already. I'm not easy to keep down, in body or mind. Ashley's been pretty distraught, though. She's easily disturbed. Mom and Dad are upset too, but were relieved when I showed signs of a quick recovery process."

"I kind of… feel like I could have done more," Viktor said uneasily. He felt some link with the traumatic events to Kelly, and he felt something growing there. Seeing Kelly making speedy recovery eased his heart. "Like… I've gotten us all out of trouble, like when Devin was working for the Orzhov in Ravnica when Elena influenced him to turn us on each other, and my Sky Swallower got us away from the Giant cave in Lorwyn. I feel bad your health was threatened to get us here."

"Don't be like that, Viktor," Kelly told him gently. Viktor half-kneeled by her bed to talk to her more easily. "I'm really grateful for all you've done so far. We all are. We're a team in this, and every innocent being in the Multiverse is counting on us. You and your grandpa are what are keeping us going. You don't give up and you give off spirit."

Kelly's words eased Viktor's doubts, pushing back his frustration and despair at the Multiverse war. Beta's raw power, Elena's ruthless and successful scheming, and Kelly's near death had convinced him all was lost, and it was his fault it got that way. He felt more protective of the girl lying near him, like he wanted to never see her get hurt anymore, for any reason.

"I… well… thanks, Kelly," Viktor told her tenderly, lightly gripping the side rail with his hands. "It'll be great when you're back to health and all." He felt increasingly awkward, but at the same time didn't want to leave Kelly's presence.

"We're a team," Kelly beamed. "It sounds cheesy, I know, but still. I'll just be here for a few more days and you'll see me around more. It was nice of you to hang back out of concern."

"Yeah," Viktor agreed, resisting a sudden impulse to touch her uninjured hand with his own. Instead of that, he got up and started to leave the room to rejoin the others. He opened the door just in time to hear Ashley down the hall yell, "THAT'S DISGUSTING, GERBIE! DON'T SAY THAT AGAIN!"

Grinning out of humor at the statement and his own slight embarrassment, Viktor gave a simple goodbye and joined his other friends.

"Viktor!" Viktor's mom exclaimed when he came back into his house and tossed his jacket onto the couch. "A grade notice arrived in the mail!"

"All right," Viktor said in half-interest, crashing onto the couch and accepting the unfolded paper. On it was:

To: DIMITROV, VIKTOR

Sophomore

Special Notes: Bulgarian student studying abroad. Resident of Sofia, Bulgaria.

We regret to inform you that you are currently failing your English and Business classes. Due to missing major tests in both areas, your semester grades are in serious jeopardy. Please take your academics seriously if you wish to pass.

Best wishes,

Beth Redfield, Academics Counselor

"Well, that kind of sucks," Viktor complained, tossing the paper aside. "Seriously."

"We did not fly thousands of miles from Sofia to see you failing like this," Viktor's mom scolded him in rapid Bulgarian. "You take your classes seriously and cut back on enjoyment trips with your American friends. Georgi would be ashamed of his grandson doing badly like this."

Viktor's chest spasmed in mirth, but he resisted laughing out loud. Georgi would understand quite well why Viktor had missed two major tests; saving millions of lives in the Multiverse from Elena's evil grip was far more important than college work. He shook his head. He couldn't be a slacker like that! He had to be a good role model in schooling too! His parents counted on him to "make Europe look good."

Half-listening to his mom's brief rant about responsibility, Viktor retired to his room upstairs, finding simple entertainment out of repeatedly shuffling his cards and looking outside the window to the sunlit Earth beyond.


	10. Chapter 10

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 10

By Louis Kemner 2008

Heavy, ominous mist had gathered around the swamp in ShadowMoor, rolling like sinister masses intent upon swallowing everything up. At the source of this disturbance, Elena, the Defiled One as the Planeswalkers called her, sat cross-legged on the soft ground, her eyes closed and taking in the creepy sounds of the twilight world ShadowMoor. She enjoyed it here. Everything here was dark, deathly, sinister, and unforgiving. She would have to move to other Planes, as well, to further her Enslavement mission all over the Multiverse. For now, she simply sat, in a meditative state.

In a flash of reds light, Beta, in his spiky black and red armor, appeared like an apparition. His wild red-black hair flowed back over his head, and was tussled and tangled somewhat. His face was impassive as he walked deliberately toward his mistress.

"Quenjak Zamgor," Elena said in a hospitable voice, lifting her eyelids to reveal her emerald eyes of greed and evil. She rose to stand on her feet. "Welcome back. What news do you have for me? I hope to hear good things from you."

"Gamma and I crossed paths with the five children and two of the Planeswalkers, Ajani Goldmane and Jace Beleren," Beta began. "It was an exerting conflict, but with negative results. Gamma is —"

"Dead, I know," Elena interrupted with no hint of anger. "Poor thing. He took on more than he could handle. I had hoped he could dispatch two of those children, but with Jace's superior intellect helping them, that sealed his fate."

"Indeed," Beta agreed. "Also… the Key Creature we found, a sphinx named Isperia the Inscrutable, was taken from our hands. The children captured it and escaped to another plane. I have no way of knowing which."

"Ohhh, now that's a shame," Elena said. "Then there are three left to find, and four of you. You still have the numerical advantage, at least. What of the children, then?"

"Their party consisted of three boys and two girls, all near adulthood," Beta informed her. "They all got away with their lives, but I severely injured the older girl. Without a doubt, she will die soon, if she hasn't already. No healer in the Multiverse can treat her soon or effectively enough. Her life should be considered terminated."

"That's wonderful," Elena glowed, closing the distance between herself and Beta. She lightly traced her fingers along his cheek and jaw in praise, walking in a circle around him. "Do try to keep up the good work, then. You and the other three have plenty of work before you. I think the others are coming now."

Out of the mists walked the other three living Hunters: the enigmatic Alpha, the quirky Delta, and the noble Epsilon. These three stood with Beta to form a line, at their mistress' attention.

"Now, I have plans for all of you to carry out," Elena told them, as though telling a child to retrieve a treat item. "Alpha, I want you in Dominaria to begin your work on the noble and just-minded humans there. They pose a significant threat if they find out what I am doing. Delta, Epsilon, travel to Kamigawa, where I am sure at least one of the three Key Creatures is. I want it found as soon as possible. I'd also like you to find me a comfortable home while you're there. As a little favor. Beta, start seeking out the other two Key Creatures, no matter what planes you must travel to. I have to stay ahead. Do all of you understand me?"

"My Lady," the three Hunters murmured in understanding, then in flashes of their own colors: Beta, red, Epsilon, white, Delta, green, and Alpha, black, the foursome vanished. Elena smiled to herself in content and sank back to the swamp's dark recesses. Her Enslavement of ShadowMoor was nearing completion: the demented and twisted minds here were easy to harness. Already, almost all creatures and beings in this plane were loyal to her, forming Elena's own growing army. At her will, she could open portals to other planes, allowing the Enslaved to march into other planes in blazing conquest. The thought was delicious.

"So, what in Szadek's name is this thing?" Gerbie asked, sniffing Devin's Xbox 360 controller curiously, taking in its elegant and foreign design. "Some bizarre Izzet contraption thrown to the rotwurms?"

"That's a controller," Devin told the gerbil, from his place on his couch. More than two weeks had passed since their return from ShadowMoor and Kelly's hospitalization. He and the other two boys were in his room, being the perfect bachelor pad. Devin had recently gotten back into playing trumpet, and the brass instrument lay on its side near the closet, with scattered sheet music all about. Viktor sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, while Makoto and Devin were on it proper. A commercial was going on the TV, and the blinds were pulled most of the way down. Aside from Makoto's house, this was their favorite place to lounge.

"Controller, huh? I like it. Sounds like a way to really govern the guildless!" Gerbie exclaimed.

Viktor grinned at the probably unintentional card reference. It was once thing to see the card' creatures alive and breathing before his eyes in the Multiverse, yet the simple phrase seemed hilarious for some reason. Gerbie was Ashley's pet, though she had allowed the animal to be in the boys' company while her family issue remained. The gerbil was unfazed by the absence of his owner.

"So what's all this over here?" Gerbie went on, roving across the floor towards Devin's closet. He drew close to the trumpet, tramping over the sheet music.

"Hey, careful over there," Devin called. "Don't mess anything up." On the TV, a show resumed, getting Viktor and Makoto's attention.

"Oh. Whoops," Gerbie said in a silly apologetic voice; be brushed too hard against the trumpet, and the instrument fell into the closet with a thunk onto a metal box and clattered to the wooden floor of the closet.

"Hey!" Devin exclaimed, getting up and retrieving the instrument. "Careful. Things in this world don't have anti-shatter enchantments or anything, you know. And what are you doing now?"

"Weird scrolls," Gerbie commented, padding deeper into the closet. He nosed aside a shoe and bit down on a magazine's edge, then began to pull the volume out.

"It reads…" Gerbie began, studying the title. Before he could finish, or Viktor and Makoto see the cover, Devin snatched the volume away and threw it back into the closet.

"Hey! I was going to look in that!" Gerbie protested, scampering back into the closet and pushing aside a crumpled up shirt. "Come on!"

"That kind of thing isn't for animals!" Devin argued, diving after Gerbie and falling onto his stomach. Gerbie scampered and rifled about in the closet, searching for the magazine. There were a lot of items inside, including a pair of skis against the wall, a soccer ball, several shirts and jeans, a few boxes of items, and old kid toys. Not to mention magazines, including the one Gerbie was spelunking to find.

"No! This is all private stuff in here!" Devin cried, scrambling after Gerbie and trying to catch him. Viktor and Makoto ignored the TV show, finding the closet chase much more interesting. Gerbie gave a victorious squeak and burst out of the mountains of junk, with the cover page of the magazine crumpled into a small square and held in his jaws. Devin lunged for him and missed again; Gerbie tore across the floor, saying, "Hey guys, wanna see this?"

"What is it?" Viktor asked excitedly. He had rarely seen Devin reading much of anything, let alone magazines, so this apparently private issue captivated his interest. Viktor and Makoto prepared for Gerbie to reach them; however, Devin had taken one of the skis, and knocked Gerbie aside with it. The animal wasn't hurt, though he tumbled a few times and was far from Viktor and Makoto.

"Aw, don't be like that!" Gerbie said, getting back on his feet. He scampered once again to the two other boys, intending them to take the cover and see it together. However, Devin's ski attacks made it impossible, and Gerbie was scampering about crazily.

The door to the room opened and Devin's mother stood there. "Hello, boys," she said nicely. "What's the cause for all this noise — wha?!" and Gerbie rocketed past her leg and into the hall, still carrying the magazine cover. Devin gave hot pursuit, carrying the ski and knocking his mom aside. Deeply interested and involved, Viktor and Makoto ran after the other two down the hall and throughout the house, starting with down the stairs.

"Yikes!" Gerbie exclaimed, beholding the steps before him. He ran close to Devin, forcing the other to slow down. Devin's move was too quick; he lost balance and fell, losing hold of his ski, which slid close to the stairs top. Getting on top of the ski, Gerbie stair-surfed all the way down the steps on the ski, giving an excited whoop past the cover held in his mouth.

Chasing the runaway gerbil down the stairs, Devin, Makoto, and Viktor tumbled down to the bottom floor in a crazed mob, all intent on getting the message. By this time, Gerbie simply ran for the fun of it. He scampered all about the house, dashing along couch backs, across the dining room table, everywhere. Devin's cat Kyoko hissed and raised its fur in response to the scampering gerbil.

"What do ya think you're lookin' at, kitty?" Gerbie threw at the cat as he ran by it. "I can tell no Simic growth formulas went in _your _diet! Scrawny thing!"

By now, Devin's father had come home from work; Mr. Willis wore a business suit and carried a suitcase, and a tired expression from his day of working.

"Hello, son —" he began in the doorway, then was cut off by his son, two of his friends, and a large gerbil whooshing past the doorframe and Mr. Willis into the front yard. Mr. Willis could only stare, then figure he was seeing things and went farther into the house and out of sight.

"Come on, you've got to be tired by now!" Viktor exclaimed. "Let us see the cover!"

"Don't look at it!" Devin protested, then gave a final lunge. This time, he managed to grab Gerbie under his left hand, trapping him. In response, Gerbie tossed the cover away, toward Viktor and Makoto. Devin made to get it but was too slow. Viktor and Makoto victoriously unfolded the cover to see what it was.

An old issue of a girl teen fashion magazine.

"Wh… what?" Makoto muttered in surprise and disappointment. He and Viktor had hoped to catch Devin with owning a different kind of magazine, and that they could see it too. This was boring.

"What are you doing with this?" Viktor directed at Devin.

"It's one of my sister's old ones," Devin said defensively. "She's moved out since, but I never threw it away. I don't throw much away."

"Oh well," Gerbie said. "I was just going to question Devin's, you know…"

"There's no need," Devin grumbled.

Footsteps sounded closer and closer to the four of them, and a pair of feet in dress shoes planted themselves on the sidewalk, with brown suit pants above. A shadow was cast on the grass.

"You kids never have a dull moment, do you all?" the stranger said.

Viktor and the others looked up — and found Georgi Dimitrov, complete with his suitcase of items, thick black glasses, and a humored expression.

A rickety training house devoted to schooling Nezumi in the way of the samurai crumbled in flames even as the occupants ran screaming, some on fire, others injured. Some Nezumi, or sentient rats, had taken up Bushido, and became rat samurai, as a service offer to the human ones. However, their skills were no match for the two strangers who had come on their doorstep and ransacked the place.

"I question you again: was that really necessary?" Epsilon asked, hefting his ivory sword on his hip. "You're making us stand out too much."

"I'm telling you, I want to warm up," Delta retorted, flexing his fingers. "I wanted an easy one to start with. Maybe the Kami lords would be better for you? A good challenge from them."

"Whether we get a great or puny challenge is not the issue," Epsilon fired back. "We're only here to capture Ryusei, the Falling Star, who's the Key Creature supposedly here. The whole Plane could be hounding us before long."

"Come on, don't sweat it," Delta said dismissively, now taking more interest in the wilderness around him and his companion. "There's a war raging here. Alpha told me about the Kami war being fought here between the Kami spirits and the rest of the mortals. It wouldn't hurt to take a few down in case they get between us and Ryusei. Might be fun to see what they look like."

"Nonsense," Epsilon countered. "The Kami are powerful, more than anything else here. Arousing their wrath would be stupid and damage our cause. Lady Elena would be furious if we came back to ShadowMoor with an army of Kami hot on our heels. Her own Enslaved Army is still in its early stages. So, we'll leave it to Alpha and Beta to take care of capturing the wills of the Kami and stronger mortals. That process will be made easier by capturing Ryusei."

"If you say so," Delta agreed, scratching the side of his head. The two of them were skirting the edges of Takenuma Swamp area, the black region of Kamigawa. The place was chock full of Nezumi rat samurai, plus the wicked and twisted Kami who fought them. Neither side could lay more than a finger on the two outsiders, however. Even highly skilled Nezumi veterans and deadly Kami were easily and quickly disposed of when they drew too close to Delta and Epsilon. Nothing would deter them from hunting Ryusei, the Falling Star. Epsilon figured that, since Ryusei guarded the red section of Kamigawa, the dragon would be residing in Sokenzan, among the Tendo Peaks. Epsilon was aware of the Akki goblins and bandits of all kinds. They would be no threat. Only the five children Elena fought and the Planeswalkers could stop them.

"So, those are the Tendo Peaks, then?" Delta said, pointing at the proud mountains. Snow was falling on them right now, onto their reddish-gray rocky surfaces. Rickety wood bridges spanned the mountains at their lower points, as well as villages of all sizes along the bases and along flat parts of the mountains. Epsilon and Delta were at the Takenuma-Sokenzan border, close to the area of their objective.

"That's them, all right," Epsilon confirmed, looking at them. There was a shuffling in bushes behind him; a Nezumi was poised to strike from behind. Epsilon was still regarding the mountains when the rat pounced, a beast almost man-sized and brandishing a wicked katana. It wore wooden armor splotched with swamp stains and scratches from fighting lesser Kami.

Without ever moving his gaze, Epsilon unsheathed his sharp sword of ivory, swept it twice in the air behind him, and sheathed it again in the span of one and a half seconds. The Nezumi ambusher fell to the ground in four pieces.

"We need a real break from all this," Delta complained, settling onto a firm and dry section of ground. He lay down and stretched out. "I will take a break now."

"Don't be so lazy all the time," Epsilon scolded. "We have an important mission to carry out right now. It isn't the time for this."

"Just ten minutes," Delta requested, turning his back to his companion.

"Don't be so impulsive. You're a disgrace to —" Epsilon started, then stopped when he heard Delta's snoring.

The Plane of Dominaria was a place of many continents and oceans, and in the Eastern Domain, there was an island with a society in the middle named Oneah. The people of Oneah were intellectual, honorable, proud, and enlightened. Their society was also based on martial arts skills, with a taboo against weapons. It was here, in nighttime, where Alpha appeared with a flash of blinding blue.

Alpha found nothing interesting whatsoever in his surroundings, though that was a conclusion most would make. The terrain was mostly hilly grassland, with bushes, scattered trees, and a large creek a few dozen yards away. Small animals shuffled through the terrain and owls hooted from the trees. A swath of stars shone in the night sky, near a bright white moon. Near Alpha was a dirt road with wagon ruts; this led to Telomano, one of the major cities of Oneah. It was a place of scholars, enlightenment, honor, and prosperity. It embodied the virtuous nature of the Oneans. Elena knew that Planeswalkers often visited this place, and would no doubt begin to rally the people here in the war against her. Therefore, Alpha's mission here was critical.

Alpha was the only being out in the wilderness, with only animals for company. He wore a cloak with a hood that fell to a little past his knees, and could be parted down the middle for removal. The buttons holding it together stopped a foot and a half below the hem, making walking easier. The cloak's main color was enigmatic blue, with black trim and cuffs. There were other black lines along the cloak, including the split in the front where it was buttoned together. Alpha had glowing blue eyes similar to Jace Beleren's, except that these eyes were cold, uncaring, and efficient, as opposed to Jace's more virtuous intellect. Alpha also wore blue and black armor under his cloak for protection.

Following the road brought Alpha to a roadside town that often traded resources such as hay, livestock, and farming tools. Alpha had fearsome power, being the most powerful of the Five Hunters; however, he was untried. Therefore, a small test was required of him before beginning his mission in earnest.

Boisterous laughing, talking, and music assaulted Alpha's ears as he entered a hearty tavern in the roadside town. Dozens of farmers, peasants, and skilled craftsmen filled the place, drinking ales, talking, or listening to or dancing to lively banjo and lute music. The positive atmosphere did nothing to incite feelings of excitement of merriment in the sinister newcomer; part of Alpha's being was that he was incapable of feeling emotions of any kind. There was only reason and action.

"You're an odd one," a stout farmer told Alpha as the other drew close to the bar. "You do them magic works? Sorcery and stuff? Ha ha." Like many others, ale had addled him. He had a number of friends with him, all similar. Alpha could already tell the farmer was a capable fighter but good of heart. One good push could change things, however.

"So, watcha want?" the lean barkeep with a black mustache asked. On the wall behind the bar was a gleaming shield with two crossed swords behind it. Below it was a plaque that read BEHOLD THE WEAPONS AND SHIELD OF ANTO GOLDSUN THE HERO, WHO WAS AN OUTSIDER BUT PROTECTED OUR LANDS FROM THE EVILS BEYOND. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

"I don't want anything tonight," Alpha told the barkeep, who shrugged and picked up a tankard to scrub. Alpha instead backhanded the farmer who commented on him.

"Argh! What the devil are you doing?" the farmer cried indignantly. "Do the ogre spirits infest your heart?" he spun to face Alpha and stood up.

"You're a wretch of a man not worth his weight in dung," Alpha told him coldly. "You have an orc for a mother and a mutilated boar for a father. And your friends aren't worth ballista fodder in war." Alpha kicked one of the farmer's friends on the shin with his dark gray armor boot, causing the man to yelp and seize the spot with his hands, baring his teeth in rage and pain.

"Why, you worthless lout —!" the farmer roared, his face reddening in rage. He and his friend moved to mob Alpha brawl-style — only to close in on empty air. In a blue-black blur, Alpha had moved all the way back to the other end of the bar in a split-second, fast as a whip's tip. Snarling, the farmer and his friends charged Alpha like a stampede of bulls prepared to tear him apart — then, feet away from Alpha, they slowed down and lost their fury.

Alpha merely stood in place, not moving an inch. The farmer mob had slowed to a few baby steps, huffing and slacking as though their energy had suddenly been leeched away. And it had. Alpha had activated the full extent of his mana aura; this part of it was invisible to the naked eye. Any creature that ventured within eight to ten feet of Alpha had their bodily strength leeched and their willpower drained. These farmers had their entire battle lust torn away and stood like they were exhausted.

"Very good," Alpha murmured, then in another blur, went back to the bar. Each of the farmer's throats suddenly spouted crimson blood from knife stabs in their necks. Gurgling blood, every one of them fell dead to the floor in a pile. Under his cloak, Alpha sheathed a dagger with a straight and elegant blade, stained in blood. Understandably, everyone in the tavern cried out in fear and confusion, raising the volume. They were dumbfounded by Alpha's speed and instant kills. Plus, he had obviously used a weapon, which was taboo in this land.

"Calm down, everyone," Alpha said quietly, waving his hand. The tavern's occupants fell silent and still as they all fell asleep, their memories of the incident erased. Alpha easily and quickly disposed of the corpses behind the tavern and resumed his trip down the dirt road to the Telomano, the city. He was ready for his mission, all right.

"You seem to come at the most unexpected times, Grandfather," Viktor told Georgi as he, Georgi, Devin, Makoto, and Kelly assembled in the Dimitrov living room.

Georgi's unexpected arrival had stirred the boys' curiosity, and Kelly had come to greet him, too. Ashley, however, was still distraught with her sister's trauma, and didn't wish to take part in anything concerning the Multiverse right now, including visiting Viktor's grandfather. Ashley had blamed herself and Georgi for Kelly's near death at Beta's hands; Georgi for sending them back to the Multiverse with a purpose, and herself for not being able to protect Kelly better with her protective magic.

It saddened Viktor to see his friend so wracked with worry and guilt, so he respected her wishes and had let Gerbie be present in her place. Viktor reflected on the happy, carefree Ashley he knew, and hoped she would return soon. Until then, he had to move on. Kelly had recovered in the few weeks that had passed since being in Lorwyn/ShadowMoor, and she was ready for more. It was difficult to shake or unsettle her; she had a strong mind. Viktor had felt his admiration for her soar in light of this, and gained a newfound respect for her, as well as that other feeling. He had known Kelly for at least a year or two, but she had been his friend up to now, sharing a good hobby with him and the others. Now, however, he felt closer to her, like he was bound to help her through this difficult mission, and hoped she would support him too.

"Well, I'm a little like that," Georgi shrugged, taking a sip of black coffee. Viktor's parents, Sergei and Petya, had welcomed the elder back, though they were clueless as usual as to what he was here for.

"So, what's new?" Devin asked him.

"That's a question better suited for me to ask," Georgi smiled. "I understand that you've gone back to the Multiverse for your mission, as Ajani Goldmane told me. But I want to hear of it from you."

"Wait, you talked to Ajani?" Kelly asked. "How?"

Georgi waved a hand, indicating that that information had to wait for now. "I would like know how your second excursion went." It seemed to Viktor that Georgi wasn't asking to know what happened; he was asking to know how the kids handled themselves and what they thought on the war.

"We went to Lorwyn, for one," Devin started. "But as soon as we got there, Elena was already setting her traps, and we fell for all of them. She cursed the Key Creatures while in disguise and set them free, so she can hunt them down one by one and capture them."

Devin and Viktor helped explain the Kithkin events, the transformation into ShadowMoor, meeting Ajani Goldmane and Jace Beleren, and most of all, the two men who were after the Key Creatures, Beta and Gamma, plus Kelly's near death at Beta's hands.

Georgi was quiet for a minute as he digested all of this. A lot had progressed since the kids had returned from Ravnica; they had new allies, the Planeswalkers, but the stakes were higher and their foes more dangerous and numerous than before.

"Your account sounds just right for what is happening," Georgi said after another sip of coffee. "Yes, Elena is an expert at manipulating those around her for getting what she wants, no matter whether anyone is killed or distraught in the process. Setting the Key Creatures loose is bad for us, especially. Though you have two of them, Thorn Elemental and Isperia the Inscrutable, the other three are vulnerable to capture and absorption by Elena in her new body. I know that she has created a quintet of followers known as the Five Hunters: Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and Gamma, in order of strongest to weakest. Though I am happy to hear one of them, Gamma, is dead, the other four will be difficult foes to vanquish, even with all of the Planeswalkers on your side."

"Yeah," Makoto agreed. "They even had these colored auras around them according to their colors. It was nothing like we'd ever seen, and they got stronger once the auras were up. That made them hard to fight."

Georgi looked taken aback at this. "What is this?" he exclaimed gently. "You don't know what that was? You didn't have ones for yourselves?"

"Uh, no," Viktor answered lamely, getting the feeling he and the others made things difficult on themselves with ignorance of something.

"And the Planeswalkers taught you nothing of Mana Auras?" Georgi went on.

"No," Kelly said. "I just know that Gamma and Beta got stronger when those Auras went up, but Jace and Ajani said nothing about them."

"Either the Planeswalkers presumed you already knew about Mana Auras, or were simply lazy and negligent," Georgi told the kids. "Don't feel ashamed of you didn't use them, but you all have your own Mana Auras, due to the powers the Planeswalkers gave you with your Key Creatures."

"How does all this work?" Viktor asked. "I felt a surge of energy when I saw Kelly about to die, and time seemed to slow down. It was weird."

"Oh, and you had green stuff all around you, too," Makoto noticed. "Like a Mana Aura. Or was it one?"

"I can say with almost certainty that was a Mana Aura," Georgi said. "I suppose my grandson's Aura was triggered in a moment of his companion's extreme distress. Each of you can manifest your Auras, though the safest way to learn to do so is training in a Plane I have set aside for that. You all have one color for your Auras. Grandson, yours is green; Makoto, white; Devin, red; Kelly, black; and Ashley, blue."

"So, we can learn to use our colored Auras," Kelly confirmed. "And that will make us stronger in combat and a better match for Elena and her Hunters."

"Right," Georgi said. "Having your Key Creature lets you access your fully, though without it you can still harness at least half of its power. Therefore, Viktor and Ashley's will be the strongest right now, until the other Key Creatures are recaptured."

"That's a problem," Kelly said. "She's really distressed and upset by what happened to me. My sister is rather delicate and is refusing to do anything concerning the Multiverse right now, even you."

"That's a shame, for all of us," Georgi said somberly. "I know this commitment can take a toll on all of you, and you have my sympathy, Kelly, and Ashley too. I'm here to support all of you, to until the end of this conflict. But until we win or lose, I'm going to help you in your efforts. For one, we are going to Planeswalk to Bant, the white shard of Alara, for a short training period. We can't afford to spend too much time there, however. Elena's rampage and her Hunters will not wait for us to be ready for them. Her Enslavement is only accelerating, too."

"Hold on," Makoto said. "Enslavement? What's that?"

"I forgot to mention," Georgi said, remembering something. "Part of Elena's conquest of the Multiverse involves warping millions of people and creatures to her will and dominating their minds. It's called Enslavement, and both Elena and her Hunters are capable of it. Some minds are easier to Enslave than others, yet its influence is spreading fast. Already, nearly all of ShadowMoor is hers due to Enslaving its population, and she has started work on other planes, too. Those who are Enslaved are bound to Elena's will and will never turn against her, and will be her willing foot soldiers against her enemies, chiefly us. The Enslaved are still themselves, but act for Elena's good. Enslaving whole governments will have dramatic effects. Part of your training will be to resist her mental attacks and fighting the Enslaved. The Enslaved can have portals opened, allowing battalions of them to Planeswalk wherever Elena needs them."

There was ten seconds of silence as the kids took in this grim information, then Kelly said, "All right, we understand the magnitude of this. But how are you going to help us train? We don't know anyone in Bant or the other Alara shards. We haven't even been there yet."

Georgi smiled again and reached into his suit pocket and, to Viktor's surprise, produced a card: Palladia-Mors, one of the Elder Dragons. It was an updated version of the older card, with a green-white-blue dragon with metallic red scales and ram-like horns. It was a fierce, elegant, and noble beast. "You're not the only ones now," he said.

"You've got a Key Creature, too?" Devin exclaimed. "Did the Planeswalkers give it to you?"

"Right," Georgi confirmed. "I can now go with you all wherever you go. I can't cast any spells beyond this, though, so my help will be limited. But as soon as you all are ready, we will go to Bant."

Later that day, Georgi had arranged an explanation as to where he and Viktor were going for a while; he was good at that. Viktor's parents had been hesitant to part with Viktor due to his poor college performance but didn't pursue the point. As soon as the five of them were in a secure place, they touched their Key Creatures together and went though the familiar portal.

Bright sunshine was the first thing that Viktor noticed once he and the others landed. The air was warm, clear, and scented with flowers, grass, and a faint smell of rain. Looking around, he took in a majestic sight: he was in the middle of a vast plain of massive hills, dotted here and there with tall, vibrant-green trees and winding creeks. White, fluffy clouds floated in the rich blue sky and colorful, chirping birds navigated the air overhead in invisible highways. The sight was breathtaking and inspiring, yet it was highlighted by a tall, huge, and white castle a hundred yards away.

The castle was bigger than any Viktor had seen in pictures of them, or any he had seen in Scotland when his family had vacationed there. The main section was shaped rather like a church, with a sharply pointed roof with tall, dark windows and pillars with gold caps. There were four main turrets in a square around the central building, with the typical tops and windows, all made of pure white stone. The walls made a square, and there was an arch-shaped wooden door for entry, which was currently closed. There were other, smaller turrets and other buildings inside the four walls. Even as Viktor watched, a single Aven swooped over the castle.

"Whoa. I can tell why this is the white shard," Devin said in awe, taking in his peaceful and beautiful surroundings.

"This is it. Bant," Georgi confirmed, looking about. "We will be here for a few days, residing in that castle over there. It belongs to a small but important kingdom by the name of the Reitha Kingdom. I'm well aquatinted with the King there, Sir Teramont. And here is his patrol. Good timing."

Viktor turned to face the castle, and saw two knights riding upon hearty lions with gold-bronze fur and wearing gold forehead armor. He recognized them as Sigiled Paladins. The knights riding the lions had detailed and ornate gold armor with a tall, rectangular shield and stout swords with silver blades. Upon coming close to the group, one called out, "Hail, strangers! Who be you?"

Viktor started to respond that they were Planeswalkers visiting for training, but was cut off by an unfamiliar voice to his right, saying, "It's been a long time, knights of the Reitha Kingdom. It's I, Bardon, back after all these years. I hope your new king Teramont is well?"

Wondering who was talking, Viktor turned and received a shock: his grandfather, Georgi, had changed. He was now middle-aged, with rich brown hair to match his suit, with no trace of age. He had taken off his black plastic glasses, too, further alienating his appearance.

"Our new king is ten times what old Sir Oldalon was," the second Sigiled Paladin declared, saluting Georgi with an armored hand. His lion huffed. "Who are the children you have with you?"

"It relates to the war against the Defiled One," Georgi said grimly. "I presume Elspeth has filled you in on that?"

"She did," the first knight confirmed. "Are these kids, then, the ones the Planeswalkers called from a different world to aid us?"

"They are," Georgi said. "You're sharp today. May we come to the castle for this? I'd like to see how it's progressed since I last walked down its esteemed halls."

"Right," the knight said, turning his lion around to face the castle; the other knight did the same. Thoroughly confused, Viktor followed his transformed grandfather and three friends to the castle.


	11. Chapter 11

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 11

By Louis Kemner 2008

In a rough wagon road mid-way up the Sokenzan mountain range of reddish rock, Delta stopped and scratched the side of his head in ponder.

"Isn't this the fourth Akki village we've found that wants us dead?" he commented, watching a horde of goblins charging en masse with assorted weapons and wearing crude, samurai-like armor. "The Enslavement isn't easy with this kind of resistance. Maybe I should have just settled into that crevice a while back and rested."

"You don't need any rest right now," Epsilon told him, irritated at his companion's impulsive laziness. This village was one situated near the trading road along one of the flatter parts of the Sokenzan Mountains, bringing supplies from merchants and craftsmen from the Eiganjo section of Kamigawa. These Akki were fond of raiding the wagons of swords, helmets, armor, grain, anti-Kami talismans, and other goods. Human Ronin and ogres partook in similar acts, unless the wagonloads were intended for them. It was common to have two parties fighting over one wagon load; one with the right to the goods, the other just wanting to raid it.

"Fine," Delta consented, drawing a pair of heavy metal brass knuckles. Every one of the Five Hunters bore a unique weapon with unmatched skill: Gamma wielded a golden pike, Epsilon had a sword made of ivory, Delta wore heavy metal knuckle gloves, Beta had a scythe blade that came out of his armor, and Alpha had a dagger. Delta himself was a being of red-green nature: he had wooden and iron armor that was enchanted well beyond the strength of either material, had fierce, animalistic eyes and features, and a wild flow of brown hair speckled with black and white, like a wild cat's pelt.

Epsilon, as green-white, had sage-like robes armor of grass green and gold, with soft white trim at the hem and sleeves and red border along the front. He boasted a regal and princely face of intelligence, and a heart unlike those of the other four Hunters. He kept it secret, but the slaying of dozens of Akki and other Kamigawa inhabitants disturbed him. He was here to carry out Elena's will, and fully intended to see triumph over the Planeswalkers and become a dominant figure of the Multiverse, yet he had slight doubts of how to achieve it. This unease was reinforced slightly by the horde of Akki charging at them who would receive a swift death.

"First one for today!" Delta cried, and his heavy fist thudded into an Akki warrior, sending him flying away with broken ribs and ruptured organs. Two more faced a similar attack in the next few seconds. Epsilon sighed and unsheathed his ivory sword, dicing Akki into pieces as they came. He also bore the ability to control plants, in accordance with his colors. He could, at will, summon a swath of his leafy and vine-ridden fighters, using their venom, thorns, and deadly scents in combat, as well as other abilities. Before long, half the Akki village had been decimated, and the remaining half of the warriors, rather than fleeing, dropped their weapons and groveled at the rocky, snowy ground.

"What's this?" Delta wondered out loud, lowering his armored hands. "They've given up. This hasn't happened before."

"I believe," Epsilon said, "that the Akki have messenger moths that allow them to send messages from village to village, as far as Alpha told me. The Akki know of us as the two strangers, and must be giving up on trying to kill us. I suppose they are now trying to swear fealty to save themselves, and maybe even have us lead them to bloody victory over rival races such as the human Ronin or the ogres, or even red Kami who frequent these parts. This gives us an advantage."

"You mean Enslavement?" Delta suggested, now slipping off his metal knuckles. The Akki were now chanting lines in their primitive language, presumably in fealty, bowing up and down. "Should be easy by now, right? Maybe we can Enslave these and have them send messages to other villages to follow us, too."

"Right," Epsilon said. "Elena should be told about this as soon as possible." He started to sheath his ivory sword.

"Don't you worry about that, dear," a silky woman's voice called from all around. Shocked at hearing his mistress' voice, Epsilon dropped his sword to the snow and scrambled to pick it up. Out of a green-black portal, Elena herself stepped into the Plane, looking as beautiful and deadly as ever, and accompanied by Beta in his iron and red armor. Elena took in the Akki before her, who all looked taken aback by the two visitors.

"My Lady," Epsilon quickly said, bowing. Delta did the same from where he was.

"What devotion these little ones are showing," Elena noted happily at the submissive Akki. "This could be a vital step towards Enslaving Kamigawa. These goblins' loyalty can be a useful tool, I think. Start with the measly ones, then work up to the higher races, then to other parts of the Plane."

"How do we start?" Epsilon asked.

"Watch," Beta said. With a nod from Elena, Beta strode forward to the Akki mob, causing them to cower and tremble with his mighty presence. Beta extended his hand and touched one of the Akki on the forehead. At once, the beast gave a yelp as green energy surged from Beta's hand and into it. When the process was over, a small green diamond shape glowed on the Akki's forehead. Before long, similar symbols blazed to life on the other Akki's foreheads, a symptom of Enslavement. Bound by Elena's will, the Akki as one rose.

"Lovely," Elena approved as she inspected them. "As flawless as the ShadowMoor natives. Listen, all of you: it is your mission to have every Akki, bandit, and ogre in this mountain range to be under my will. Scour every bit of the Sokenzan mountains, even the tops of the Tendo Peaks, until everyone is your ally. There will be those who resist, however. You must destroy them, mainly visitors from other parts."

"How will they do that?" Beta asked. "These Akki are loyal but limited. There are thousands of others in the mountains, plus the Kami."

"I've taken care of that," Elena said. She waved a hand, and then a small black circle appeared in the air, ten feet above the ground. It rapidly grew until a black, storm-like portal roared to life, leading from somewhere else. Beta, Delta, and Epsilon watched as a metal hand poked out of the black currents, and its owner, a Scarecrow, staggered out. Another Scarecrow emerged, and another and another; before long, hundreds of assorted Scarecrows, from the measly Pili-Pala to skulkin to Lurebounds spilled forth in a chaotic mass.

"This is the Scarecrow battalion of my fledging Enslaved Army," Elena explained. "They will help the Akki on their mission. Each is imbued with a hint of Enslaving power. Their might will subdue the mountains' inhabitants and have them following me."

"Impressive," Epsilon noted. "A grand display of power, my Lady. But who will lead them? Such a mob could become disoriented."

"There's one more," Elena said. Then, a vine-like hand emerged from the portal, large and nearly two-thirds up. The fingers grasped and flexed like restless snakes, and a second hand like it emerged from the other side. Then, a grotesque green head like a flattened pumpkin appeared near the top of the giant portal, releasing a dull, resonating roar like a titan awakening from eons of slumber.

The hands were connected to branch-like arms, then a woody, ragged body came out. A trunk-like vine that split into ten, like a spider, supported the whole assembly. The beast emerged from the portal entirely, and the black circle vanished, leaving the monstrosity standing alone, nearly thirty feet high: the Reaper King.

"Here is their leader, Epsilon," Elena said, sprouting a pair of angel's wings and soaring to the level of the Enslaved Reaper King's eyeless head. She hovered there, stroking and patting the monster's head like a beloved pet. "Now, you will help my minions gather plenty more Enslaved, won't you, darling?" the Reaper King gave a low growl in consent, relaxing its fingers.

"And that will be it," Elena said, swooping back down to her three Hunters and standing. "This will help the Enslaved Army grow. Plus, I know that Ryusei, the Falling Star is in hiding, terrified of the power I wield. Nothing will drive it out into the open, save for an extreme disruption on its mountain range. Reaper King's conquest will help with that. Be ready, Delta and Epsilon, for that. Now, Beta, if you will."

Elena and Beta re-opened the green-black portal and vanished into it, even as the Scarecrow and Akki army, led by Reaper King, began its march deeper into the mountain range.

**

The cold grip of death and decay literally frosted and withered the grass and other life forms as Alpha strode relentlessly across the Onean terrain near the road. His mana aura could leech the life and warmth from all life within its range, and every plant, weed, and small herbivore died and was covered in a creeping layer of frost as Alpha passed by, leaving a trail of this wherever he went. The energy was then added to Alpha's own; in the event of injury, this ability discarded the need for time-consuming treatment and recovery. It was a grim display of the wretched and unnatural power the man possessed, and his cold and efficient nature. His next destination was a cluster of buildings just outside the major city, Telomano, where outcasts and pariahs lived.

Manually suppressing his deathly aura's effects, Alpha stood before the main house and knocked four times. Ten seconds later, the door was opened and a ragged man in wizard's robes opened it, wary and cautious. "Who be you?" he asked in a raspy voice.

"I am one who you must admit," Alpha told him simply. "I bear great news."

The man hesitated briefly, glanced back inside, and nodded. "Enter, stranger."

Alpha's feet, in intricate, black armor, clunked loudly on the creaky wooden floor of the large house. Within, there was a fire going in the fireplace, with an iron pot supported by poles over it. There were at least twenty people in the room, of varying ages and both genders, all with ragged black robes. Bookshelves sported hundreds of old and forbidden volumes and archaic items of evil magic, from vials of blood to mummified imp hands. Alpha had the eyes and ears of everyone in the room, captivating their interest. He was highly knowledgeable of every plane, even the countless kingdoms and civilizations of Dominaria, and Oneah was no exception. Stopping in the middle of the room, Alpha began to speak.

"Good ladies and gentlemen of the Raungir Cult, I know of your plights in the past and the burning hatred and fear that dwells in the hearts of all Oneans. For years you have hidden, like wolves shunned from a pack, in the cold and unforgiving wilderness, where you eke out a pitiful existence, stubbornly persisting in your forbidden ways. I come tonight with a rallying cry: I have studied your ways in secret for years on end, and the time is ripe to exact bloody and gleeful revenge on the ones who shun and shame you so!"

The people of the Raungir Cult began to whisper and nod energetically, apparently moved by Alpha's words. He rang true of their plight: for years, the Raungir Cult practiced demonic and black magic, intent on making Oneah one of the most powerful kingdoms of all Dominaria. Their ways were archaic and defiled, however, and they were slaughtered and the survivors were shunned to the outer lands. The capital city of Telomano, for example, was scarred by the horrors of the Raungir Cult's magic and the unexpected power and destruction it caused. The city and others were peaceful now, but hadn't forgotten what they had experienced.

"I go on," Alpha told them. "Do you really think that hiding like this, in secret, will satisfy the demons you worship and revere? No! The likes of you will always make their ways known, and if you perish, let it be in conflict! Rise again and remind the Oneans why you are feared as the shadows of the night, the causes of terrified whispers and glances, why you were persecuted before. I have great arcane ability, and I will be your pillar. I can, and will, revive your ways and make Oneah tremble! Will you join me?"

Ravenous for the glory and might Alpha falsely promised, the Raungir Cultists roared and cheered in approval and agreement. They had lived in desperation and gloom for the longest time, and now their shining savior had arrived at last. It was too bad they didn't know the real plan Alpha had in store for Oneah and Dominaria. They were merely tools.

**

It was not long before Alpha had assembled hundreds of Raungir Cultists from dozens of square miles and had begun to renew their forbidden magic. He had become their ring leader and motivator, preparing them for an onslaught in Telomano, the unsuspecting city of scholars and honor. They were heading to a fool's demise, however. Alpha knew that the citizens of Telomano and neighboring cities would be capable of handling the Raungir assault and infection. It was exactly what Alpha wanted; not a revolt, but a disturbance in general. A mental one.

**

The interior of King Teramont's castle was just as luxurious and grand as Viktor had expected it to be. The entrance hall was twice as tall as any house and nearly a hundred feet long. Pillars of swirling blue stone stood at the walls, supporting curving arches high overhead to reinforce the ceiling. Nobles, vassals, and other inhabitants in brightly colored robes and other attire walked in and out of the hall to other destinations, and a few knights passed along here and there. The extra planar group was led through hallways lined with training rooms, libraries, studies, and more until they reached the Hall of Kings.

Here, everyone's footsteps echoed loudly as they walked on the smooth stone floor. Along both walls were life-sized marble statues of past kings, all gripping swords with both hands and planting the tip on the ground at their feet. There was Heronth the Unruly, Feldor the Wise, Powan the Empathetic, and more. On a tall, gold throne at the end of the hall and atop circular steps sat King Teramont, a man in his mid-forties.

"Welcome, Bardon and others," the King welcomed, spreading his arms wide. "I am King Teramont of the Reitha Kingdom. I apologize for the rather modest housing I can provide you, but I'm sure you will enjoy it nonetheless."

"Wait… modest?" Devin wondered out loud, taking in his grand surroundings.

"To the point, Your Majesty," Georgi stated, taking a few steps further. His youthful appearance remained, and Viktor burned to know how and why it happened and why people called him "Bardon". What was going on here? "I'm sure you know what business we come on behalf of."

King Teramont gave a weary sigh devoid of any rudeness. "Yes, the Planeswalker War. I know that Ajani Goldmane, Elspeth, and Liliana Vess have visited often about that, with tidings of Elena's blazing conquest of Enslavement. She also seeks something else, something Ajani mentioned as 'Key Creatures.' What is this?"

Georgi dived into a brief explanation as to what the Key Creatures were, and how the five kids used them to Planeswalk and that Elena needed to absorb them to become invincible. Teramont listened quietly the whole time, and some of his nobles and philosophers tried to eavesdrop, only to be shooed away by sigil-bearing knights. When Georgi finished, Teramont rubbed his small beard.

"Such a large-scale battle… I never thought it would escalate like this so quickly. The ShadowMoor plane is already hers, then? And the Five Hunters, four of whom still live and roam free, more dangerous than any other being… yes, Bardon, I will give you full access to my training grounds for however long you need."

"That is much appreciated, Your Majesty," Georgi bowed.

"I am not sure I'm your majesty," Teramont noted. "I was new to the throne and a piping young man when my father gave it up for a life in solitude near the shore. Your acquaintance with me is shallow; you vanished before you established yourself too well, considering what you were."

"Hold on," Viktor cut in, unable to control himself any longer. "_What _is going on? How did my grandfather get here before? He only now got his Key Creature card… And he's lived in Bulgaria his whole life…" his voice trailed off when he started to feel self-conscious. Everyone was watching him.

"Is 'Bulgaria' the land you retreated to, then?" Teramont directed at Georgi.

"It is," Georgi told him. "And I suggest we move on. Viktor, I'll tell you more in private. For now, we must realize Elena's eminent danger, and the fact that Bant can be considered a stronghold for the Planeswalker resistance. It will be some time before she is capable of breaching its defenses and admitting her Enslaved army. The military might of Bant and the white magic it wields is vital for our cause, but there is division."

"It's not as bad a before," Teramont said. "The main kingdom, Angellight, and its king, King Haraven, are secretly cowardly and afraid to be involved in the struggle. They don't realize that sooner or later, Elena _will _have the power to overwhelm Bant's defenses, and she, her Hunters, and the Enslaved will destroy and or conquer us all. King Haraven insists on neutrality, neutrality that will lead to our demise. Not even Ajani's or Elspeth's great words can convince him. Several other minor kingdoms share the same philosophy as him; only two others agree with me to raise arms against extra Planar foes."

"Perhaps if I train the children, their prowess may convince King Haraven that not all is lost," Georgi put in. "So, I must excuse us all from your halls very soon. We have work ahead of us."

"Agreed," Teramont said. "But I hope all of you will attend a welcoming feast I will prepare. You four kids will be our saviors, I'm sure. The other Planeswalkers may want to visit you as well. I hope Tezzeret isn't too busy with his Etherium toys to miss out."

"We all appreciate it," Georgi said, bowing. He escorted the four kids out of the hall, up stairs and through other wings until they reached private quarters overlooking a clear azure lake surrounded by small trees and brush. Down there, a trio or Rhox warriors waddled in line, talking among themselves in low grunts.

Devin, Makoto, and Kelly settled onto the bed, but Viktor stood. "Grandfather, I need an explanation," he said, hoping he wasn't too direct.

"Right," Georgi said, closing the wooden door and locking it. He rubbed his face a little and sat in a desk's chair. "I owe it to all of you. It's now time that I reveal a pivotal fact: I am a retired Planeswalker."

Viktor's eyes widened in shock at his grandfather's words. "That… can't be…" he mouthed to himself.

"Whoa! You kidding?" Devin exclaimed.

"I'm not lying," Georgi told them, lightening his mood. "I was born in a village in Dominaria, a long time ago. I'm much older than you think, grandson. Two generations older."

"But how could you have grown up on Earth, then?" Viktor cried. "You were _born _in Bulgaria! Near Sofia!"

"I was _found _there," Georgi pointed out. "Not born in a hospital, in 1931 as some presume. I was found abandoned as an infant near a country road by your great-grandparents, Viktor, Sergei Dimitrov, for whom your own father is named, and his wife Mila. They adopted me as their own, but they didn't know the truth about me. You are my Earth family, Viktor, with my now deceased wife and my son, Sergei, my daughter-in-law Petya, and their son Viktor, you, as my grandchild."

"Then where's the rest of your family?" Viktor asked, feeling strange. "You said we were your earth family."

"The others are in my birth-Plane, Dominaria. I was born as Bardon, and that's the name everyone in the Multiverse knows me by. I gained my Planeswalker spark but kept it secret from the village, and I had a normal family. I had a son, and he married and had my Multiverse grandson, by the name of Merdin. He is your cousin."

"Now that's just weird," Makoto commented. "You've got a cousin here? We could meet him."

"Perhaps, if time permits," Georgi relented. "But it would be a very awkward meeting, Viktor. You see, Merdin is as old as I look right now. He has a grandson your age."

"What the h—" Viktor was about to utter an obscenity in his shock but controlled him self. "How can that be?"

"When Merdin, my first grandson, was born, I was rapidly losing my Planeswalking powers," Georgi told him. "By the time I had traveled here to Bant to inform them that, I retreated to Earth and transformed my body into that of an infant. Earth was the only safe place for me, for reasons I won't share yet. But I was found 'abandoned' when I had really Planeswalked there. I relived the stages of life, even though I still had my mind. Two generations later, and we're all like this. The Multiverse passes along at the same time as Earth, meaning I became my grandson's age in appearance. That's how your cousin is an old man and my great-great-grandson is your age, my Earth grandson."

Viktor's head spun as he tried to understand these implications. It seemed inconceivable that he had Multiverse relatives! He had at least half of his family in a world wholly different than the one he had lived in. Viktor's perspective on his grandfather had drastically changed over the past few weeks; from knowing about the Multiverse, to getting a Key Creature of his own, and now this. What other secrets were kept hidden from him? What more was there to this whole mess?

Viktor tried to speak but his voice refuses to work out of the shock. Hardly anything was spoken for a short while, until Georgi left the room, stating he had other affairs to tend to and that the kids were free to do what they wished within reason.

**

Later that day, as the glowing sun fell near the grassy horizon, the inside of the castle was busy. King Teramont had spread word of the kids' arrival and their role, and the fact that several Planeswalkers would be coming as well. It wasn't long before a long, wooden table was set up in the dining hall, and hundreds of dishes, bowls, platters, and goblets were set out. The people of the Reitha Kingdom were supporters of the Planeswalkers and their war against Elena, and were ecstatic to welcome the kids' assistance and the other Planeswalkers who would arrive. Viktor welcomed the attention but found it unusual to be hailed as a hero.

**

"And this one is to success in the Planeswalker War!" King Teramont boomed that evening, raising his silver goblet high. Everyone else imitated him, roaring "Hail the Planeswalkers and Gifted Ones!" and four gallons of drink were consumed total. Gerbie, who sat on the table with the kids, lapped alcohol from a tiny bowl set out for him and said, "The Planeswalkersh are gonna win th' war and we'll all live'n peace! Hooray!" The food was a mixture of items Viktor knew from Earth and unusual ones, many unique to Bant. This wasn't the first time Viktor had taken part of a feast in the Multiverse; the last time was the Kithkin celebration of the slave liberation, with that event ending in disaster and death. Viktor knew Bant was a safe hold and base of operations for the Planeswalkers, and he hoped it would stay that way.

"And now," King Teramont declared halfway through the event, "Please welcome three Planeswalkers who will enchant us with their glorious presence!"

The band of banjos, harps, flutes, and drums, which had played throughout the evening, started a bright and welcoming score. The music was very similar to Renaissance music Viktor had heard at festivals. Everyone waited, and in unison, three Planeswalkers appeared to the side of King Teramont.

"This is the biggest feast I've ever seen," Garruk Wildspeaker said gruffly, adjusting his rough iron armor for comfort. "Must have taken days of hunting to get the meats together."

"There's more to this than just eating, Garruk," Elspeth said, stepping forward. "This is an event that welcomes us and promotes our cause against the Defiled One."

"True," Tezzeret agreed, looking around. "Such rich delicacies and sustenance for the flesh are uncommon on Esper, where Etherium artificial perfection takes priority over natural desires."

"That's nonsense talk," Garruk huffed. "What manner of freak would live like a hunk of enchanted metal and forsake creation's intentions of our bodies? Nature's wills encompass all things."

"The sphinxes of Esper would have your head for such talk," Tezzeret told Garruk, but without malice and with a hint of humor.

"Anyway," Elspeth said, lowering her white hood, revealing her long, beautiful auburn hair and tossing it, "We're mostly here to meet the children Bardon brought from his foreign lands and train them to aid us against the Defiled One. Is that them over there?"

"Four young scrappers," Garruk agreed, locking his glowing emerald eyes on them. "They'll have to do."

Viktor saw the three new Planeswalkers talking about himself and the others and felt honored and unusual about it. Throughout the evening, the small band played tunes in honor of the guests and King Teramont gave a speech on the importance of the kids, the Planeswalkers, and rallying the kingdoms of Bant against Elena, the Enslaved, and the Hunters. Viktor noted Teramont's powerful, rich, and convincing voice; he was an excellent orator. It was a surprise any man could defy the wills and convictions of such a man.

**

The rich Bant sun was just over the horizon, evaporating the mists that hung over the endless plains and ponds. A pair of white doves flew overhead, cooing their music even as a small stream gurgled its clear, cool water and fat fish swam in its currents. A massive, dark bronze scaly paw thudded on the grassy plain with a _thoom, _followed by three other paws similar and a long tail after those.

Viktor yawned widely as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. Georgi had insisted on starting training as soon as the sun was up, and the four kids had reluctantly roused themselves out of their beds, had a quick breakfast, and joined Georgi on the lands surrounding King Teramont's castle, along with two other Planeswalkers: the fierce Chandra Nalaar, with her blazing inferno and wild spirit, and Elspeth. Both women looked on as the kids started their work.

"Come on, everyone, you know how important this is," Georgi reprimanded lightly. "Don't you have any enthusiasm for what you're about to do?" The head of Pallida-Mors the Elder Dragon, Georgi's Key Creature, loomed far overhead and yawned. Viktor found that amusing; even the dragon was groggy.

"It's early, Viktor's grandpa," Devin complained. "Seriously."

Gerbie would have commented that at Georgi's old age he probably only need five minutes of sleep, but he himself was snoozing in Kelly's pocket, a warm, furry lump. He occasionally mumbled something about a flustered Szadek and a highly doting Selesnya Evangel.

"Yes, it's early," Georgi said, looking at the sunrise. "But that gives us the beauty of this Plane, its sunrises. If Elena took total control of the Multiverse, who knows how she'd alter it to suit herself? There may not be another sunrise again."

"I guess," Devin said, subdued.

"Anyway!" Georgi said abruptly. "Let's not stall any more. To use your mana auras, you must _feel _the will and power within you. It isn't easy to detect or take hold of, but it's not impossible to any degree. Simply will it to appear, focus on the energies inside you, and manifest them. Go on and try it."

"Umm…" was the initial response the kids gave, until they tried to follow Georgi's instructions. Viktor closed his eyes, closing himself off from the massive castle, the early morning plain, and the massive Pallida Mors dragon wandering around. He felt normal at first, just a lump of warm flesh. He probed around his insides and mind, trying to feel something there: a pulsating nugget of mana, or mana flowing inexpectedly throughout his blood like a second cardiac system, or anything. There was nothing.

"Um, I'm sorry, grandfather, but I can't feel anything," Viktor shrugged in apology, opening his eyes.

"Try harder," Georgi told him.

"Nothing here either," Makoto said.

"I feel something!" Devin cried.

"Manifest the mana aura!" Georgi instructed him. "Before you lose it!"

"No," Devin said. "I… feel hunger. I knew I should have taken that extra roll. Darn it."

Kelly suppressed a giggle and Viktor felt compelled to laugh, too, but tried to maintain a straight face and make more of an effort.

"Be serious about this," Georgi called. "Being distracted by things like hunger can make it harder than it should be. Be calm and observant."

Viktor once again dived into himself, desperately probing through the mundane to find something extraordinary. Georgi commanded them to keep their eyes closed, and they obeyed. Viktor felt slightly but increasingly annoyed as his own self thwarted him. In ShadowMoor, when he used his green aura, he was able to use it in the event of Beta's onslaught and save his companions, not to mention capture Isperia the Inscrutable. Where was that power now?

There was a green spark inside Viktor just as he heard something whistle through the air.

"Whoa —!" Viktor exclaimed; his eyes snapped open to witness Pallida Mors diving straight for Kelly, its vast bronze jaws open and intending to eat her whole. Sudden energy surged through him and made his skin warm and tingle; Kelly gave a cry as Viktor dived into her and tumbled away with her just in time to avoid Pallida Mors' head slamming into the ground. The force was tremendous; the bronze dragon sent a shockwave of dirt flying even as it lashed out with its claws.

"V-Vine Trellis!" Viktor roared, and the small, leafy wall of vines erupted in time to thwart Pallida Mors' onslaught. The dragon's talons got stuck in the primeval barrier, snorting in surprise and frustration.

"Viktor… what was that?" Kelly said in a tremble. "What…"

"Grandfather!" Viktor bellowed at Georgi. "What was that?!"

"You needed a push," Georgi answered with perfect calm. "So I provided it with my Key Creature."

"You could have killed her!" Viktor cried, tripping over his words. "That's an _Elder Dragon! _If I hadn't dived and cast Vine Trellis —"

"Don't you find it strange that a 0/4 defender can easily stop an Elder Dragon's attack?" Georgi pointed out. "Well?"

"Uh…" Viktor faltered. The old man was right: the Vine Trellis was starting to break with Pallida Mors' struggling, but for it to last this long against a super powerful dragon struck him as extraordinary. "You're… right."

"Only by having your mana aura up could you make your creature that powerful," Georgi told him. "This applies to all of your spells. Handy, isn't it?"

"And look at yourself!" Devin called. Viktor observed his arms, and witnessed flowing, gas-like green mana flowing around them. He looked at his body, and a whole mana aura like Gamma and Beta's surrounded him, except green. He felt sharp, powerful, and capable.

"Well done, grandson," Georgi beamed. "You've got your mana aura up! Unsummon the Vine Trellis to free my dragon, please."

Viktor complied, soon allowing Pallida Mors to haunch himself behind Georgi freely.

"Hey… Viktor?" Kelly said in a slightly muffled voice. "You can get off."

Viktor realized that he was still half-piled on top of Kelly; he had cast Vine Trellis from that position, getting up a little to raise the card. He hastened to get up and dust himself off, feeling warmer than usual.

"And," Georgi continued, "lower your mana aura. Will it to cease to exist. Make yourself ordinary."

Viktor tried to comply, focusing on the green mana and willing it to fade away. It took a minute, but he eventually got it to completely disappear. His heightened feeling was gone as well.

"Calamity and danger are what help you get your auras up," Georgi explained, taking a few steps closer. "Viktor was oblivious to his surroundings, as I wanted him to be. But he knew when danger was coming, and was in time to save Kelly from a certain death and even cast a powered-up spell after that. You have to feel at least a mote of your man aura first, or it won't work. I presume, Viktor, that you felt something around that time?"

"Yeah," the other answered. "I felt a spark of kind of… green mana just as I opened my eyes and moved. It felt like instinct."

"And that's how this exercise is going to go," Georgi announced, clapping his hands once. "Each of you will train with avoiding Pallida Mors, until your bodies are 'used' to the auras and you only need will to raise them."

For the next few hours, rigorous aura training was what occupied the kids' time as the radiant Bant sun rose and glided over the pleasant rolling plains and scattered forests. Planeswalkers appeared in and out of the area, offering help and advice on the work, until the four of them had finally achieved the ability to raise their auras by will alone.

Further, they devoted effort to infusing their spells with the mana from the auras, amplifying their effects. Georgi warned them that every infused spell drained away their auras' strength, which would regenerate only after being lowered, and slowly even then. Viktor felt that he was working to not only better himself and help liberate the Multiverse from Elena's evil hand, but to protect those he cared about: cheery Devin, supportive Makoto, kind Ashley, and reliable Kelly. Viktor still felt slightly more protective of her than the others, for a reason only his gut knew. He had indeed saved her from Beta's onslaught and the others too, and he figured that that was the reason, to avoiding another near death, or worse, complete death on her part. However, he felt a little different when he thought of her or was around her, and it kept him mystified. Maybe Georgi could help him out later.

"Well, that's very good progress," Georgi praised when noon approached. "I'm proud of you all very much! Now, it's nigh time we stop and break for lunch. King Teramont's finest chefs will assemble and —"

A swirl of red mana burst out of nowhere, only a few leaps' distance from where Georgi stand. A second later, an ordinary-looking man appeared, except for a series of nasty wounds and bruises all over his body, including a broken leg. Using his staff for support, the man hobbled to Georgi, wheezing an urgent message.

"B… Bardon!" he sputtered.

"Mernol!" Georgi exclaimed, rushing forth to help support his fellow Planeswalker. Viktor realized this Planeswalker was an "ordinary" one and was not on a card. "What happened? Those wounds are most grievous."

"It's… Kamigawa," Mernol told him with difficulty, coughing bloodily.

"Pardon?" Georgi said.

"The… Hunters! Two of them!" Mernol exclaimed, coughing some more blood "They've found Ryusei the Falling Star!"

Deep concern crossed Georgi's face, because of both the news and the Planeswalker's condition. Adopting a supportive tone, Georgi told him, "Don't worry, these children are just as capable as the fellow Planeswalkers, and we will deal with the Hunters and Key Creature. Now, we have to get you to the castle quickly: to reach Teramont's best healers."

"No… I… it's…" Mernol gasped, then fell out of Georgi's hold and fell on the soft grass, the gleam of life absent in his eyes. Grave, Georgi stooped and closed the man's eyes and stood back up.

"This… isn't the way I hoped for our next capture to be," Georgi told the four kids. "Mernol was a good man; may his spirit rest easily. If two Hunters already found Ryusei, we have no time to waste! Even the successful capture of one Key Creature on Elena's part spells grim news for us all. Jace, can you help?"

"I am here, Bardon," Jace Beleren said grimly, appearing out of enigmatic blue mana. "I am sorry for Mernol's death, but his warning will be for nothing if we don't act. Children, assemble around me; I can take us directly to the Hunters and the Key Creature in the Kamigawa plane."

Once the four kids were in close proximity, Jace prepared the group Plane walk.

"Wait, grandfather, won't you help us?" Viktor asked of Georgi. "You have magic power."

"I'm sorry, Viktor, but my power is far too meager to be of use," Georgi said. "I have only my Key Creature, and Elena cannot be allowed to know it exists, or she will by certain find a way to release and capture it. Best of luck."

"Bardon will stay here for his own work," Jace told the four. "We have our own mission. Let's not tarry!"

With a massive wisp of blue mana, the group was no more.


	12. Chapter 12

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 12

By Louis Kemner 2008

The cold, mountain air washed over Viktor's face like a freezer's as he and the others appeared in the Sokenzan mountain range, with the forbidding Tendo peaks looming in the near distance. A light snow was falling, the tiny white flakes dancing in the air until they reached the rocky, snowy ground populated by sparse lichens and weeds. He shivered.

"What's the big deal, dragging me to a cold place like this?" Gerbie complained loudly, emerging from Kelly's jacket pocket. His small, furry body shivered from the cold. "I'm serious, this cold doesn't agree with a perfectly crafted body like mine. Why can't we go back to warm and sunny Lorwyn where we can nap the days away? Huh? I like that plan!"

"We can't go back to Lorwyn, it got turned into ShadowMoor," Kelly told the animal. "And Elena has completely Enslaved the whole plane. It's totally unsafe to go there now. Every living thing would be an enemy to us."

"Ah, that's a bunch of troll cra —" Gerbie started to whine, until Jace pushed him back into Kelly's pocket and held the opening closed.

"I've had enough of the little one," he said without a hint of humor. "He distracts us."

"Do you think I'm a distraction, you hard-nosed scholar boy?" Gerbie roared back inside the pocket, his voice amusingly muffled. "Let me out and say that again! Come on!"

"We don't have time," Jace said, turning away. The group followed him through the mountain, making haste even though lone Sokenzan Bruisers and wild animals gave chilling cries. It wasn't long before a tremendous, red, serpentine form erupted into being from behind a small cliff: Ryusei the Falling Star, in his majesty and splendor, overwhelmed the senses of his beholders.

"This is it!" Devin cried over the noise of one of Ryusei's roars as the dragon twisted and fired a burst of red fire at the ground below. The dragon slipped lower and swung a massive clawed paw, only to growl his anger when he was dealt an unseen blow.

"Quickly, get us down," Jace told Viktor urgently, who complied and cast Fighting Drake, and the Drake, with effort, carried the five down a hundred feet to a relatively snowless plain of rocky soil and hardy grass. Dismounting the Drake, everyone saw that Ryusei was locked in combat with two more men in strange clothes — two more of Elena's Hunters.

"Look!" Makoto exclaimed unnecessarily, pointing at the twosome. The two Hunters stopped their fighting and turned to regard the newcomers.

"See, Delta? Dragging this out aroused too much attention," one of them told the other. The speaker was a man with golden hair, clad in green robes with white trim, except for the trim along the front, which was yellow. He had a princely and handsome face. A thumb-sized emerald gleamed on his forehead, exactly like the ones Gamma and Beta sported.

"Big deal, Epsilon," Delta told the other in a surprisingly casual tone. Delta wore rough armor of iron and wood, and sported a rough but not harsh face, and hair colored like a wild cat's, with brown, black, and white mixed together. He was bulky, tall, and seemed like he could crumble a rock in one hand. He, like the other Hunters, had a forehead emerald.

"It is them: two Hunters of the Defiled One," Jace told the kids quietly. "Abandon stealth, children; only through hard combat can we defeat them and claim the Key Creature from them."

"We're ready," Devin told him. "Especially me. That's my creature, after all. Bought Ryusei myself in a store on one rainy weekend with my hard-earned allowance —"

"No yammering," Jace said.

"Well, it seems we have conflict," Epsilon announced, taking a few steps toward the invaders. His left hand rested on the handle of a sword sheathed at his gold armored belt, not drawing the blade. "You're the children Lady Elena has told us about, right? The ones gifted with Planeswalker power and determined to take us down? Though I see only four; I suppose Beta was successful in slaying one of the girls, then. That was his report; three boys, two girls, one girl dead."

"You're wrong, bastard," Kelly snapped back with ferocity. "That son of a bitch, 'Beta' tried to kill me but didn't have the power. My sister is the one absent for her own reasons, but not of fear. It'll take more than you to kill us!"

"What bravado! I like it," Delta commented.

"Can it," Epsilon told him. Then, to the kids: "I see, then. You must be stronger than we thought to survive Beta's full power, then. But barely, though. You should know he isn't even the strongest of us all, great as he is. Alpha is the one who presides over the rest, and though he is away right now, Delta and I should handle you all. And, of course, Lady Elena's prowess looms over all five of us. Or four, since Gamma was killed in ShadowMoor."

Viktor felt a cold pit in his stomach; his mind flashed back to the horrifying and relentless ability the red-black Hunter, Beta, had unleashed, and this man implied that this Alpha was even stronger? He suddenly realized that their names, the Greek letters, showed the order of their strength, with first letter going first and the others following. So, then, Alpha was the strongest, Beta the second, Delta the third, Epsilon fourth, and Gamma fifth.

He could hardly grasp that the menacing and deadly Gamma with his gold pike and freezing power was the _weakest _of the five. And here were the 3rd and 4th strongest Hunters, and Ashley's protective magic was absent. How would they handle this, even with Jace's superior intellect?

"That is quite enough chatter," Jace cut in. "We are here to secure this Key Creature from your tainted hands. If you don't stand aside, you will be met with death."

"Yeah, right," Delta called out, cracking his large knuckles. "This dragon is ours, period. Do you really want to fight over it?" Without even getting an answer, he shot forth in a red-green blur, tearing apart the ground beneath his feet.

"Watch out!" Devin cried, and everyone tumbled away to avoid the attack. A long, messy rut in the ground kept record of Delta's headlong charge, and the massive man now produced two items from his animal fur pockets.

"You handle this one," Jace told Kelly and Devin, implying Delta. "The other two and I will target the other."

"Got it," Kelly confirmed, preparing her black spells for combating the red-green Hunter before herself and Devin. Delta sighed.

"What, I only fight two of you? I wanted the whole package!" he complained. "Makes me just wanna trample you in one go and catch some sleep while Epsilon takes care of the rest. Will you all help me out with that?"

"Stuff it," Devin retorted, preparing his own red and green spells for combat.

Delta shrugged. "Let's just see how this goes." On his fists went a pair of brass knuckles unlike any other Devin or Kelly had seen. The contraptions were like wood and iron gloves with the fingers missing. The main body was rough and sturdy wood, with dark gray iron as the border and support. The knuckles themselves had strange sockets in them; neither Kelly nor Devin could guess what they were for.

"Let's rumble," Delta grinned, and pounced. His meaty left fist thudded into the rocky, snowy ground, producing a crater several feet wide. Quick on the uptake, Devin and Kelly avoided his attack and now Vicious Hunger and Savage Twister bore down on the Hunter. Delta raised his arms to shield himself and crouched, allowing both attacks to collide. When the dust cleared, there stood Delta, with only small scratches and bruises as a result of the attack.

"What, that's all?" he said in what seemed like genuine disappointment. "I want a good brawl from you. Come on!" With speed unfitting his size, a kick was aimed right for Kelly's head. The kick would have taken off her head; instead, Carrion Wall appeared out of nowhere, and the rotted, armored skeletons had seized Delta's foot and ankle and held them in place.

"Huh? I'm stuck!" Delta cried in frustration. "How can puny skeletons hold _me _back? Wait…" For Delta took in the countless wisps of black mana in a rising swirl around Kelly, and a red one around Devin. "You've got mana auras?"

"Sure do," Devin grinned, and one Shock later, he had Delta howling in pain.

"Stupid kids! That hurt!" Delta whined. With a deep grunt, he jerked his trapped leg and broke the Carrion Wall's hold, freeing himself. He used that leg to slam his heel on the ground with such force that Kelly was sent sprawling. Even Devin's summoned Blood-Tree Bloodscale was knocked away by a shuddering punch. With a cry of Victory, Delta pounced on Devin for a winning blow —

"Enough, dirty bastard," a rough voice growled, and a new figure appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Delta's thick arm with both of his own. "You die today for what you have done."

"Wha —?" Devin started in surprise, and witnessed Sarkhan Vol, the Jund Planeswalker, holding Delta back from his offensive. His long, tattered hair rose slightly in the icy mountain wind, and his fierce face bore a look of determination and hatred. His clothes, or rather armor, were leather animal hide, with claw-like spikes on his shoulder pads. His armor parted at his torso, revealing muscles of iron.

"Hey! Sarkhan!" Devin found himself exclaiming.

"You both are two of the five children we gifted, aren't you?" Sarkhan asked of Devin and Kelly.

"We are," Kelly confirmed.

"And _you _are —?" Delta demanded of Sarkhan.

"Someone who is about to _kill you!" _Sarkhan roared, stunning both Devin and Kelly by throwing Delta over his shoulder and slamming him painfully onto the rocky ground. "For what you have done!"

"Argh, this is good and bad," Delta groaned, getting up. "I like these odds now, but does it have to be _you? _Do I have to hear your whining throughout this fight?"

Seriously confused, Devin simply looked on as Sarkhan rallied his allies. "Children," he told them with a hard glint in his wild eyes. "Get up and prepare to slaughter him. Either he dies today or we do. Are you ready for this?"

"You must practice blue magic, by the looks of you," Epsilon commented as he watched Jace, Viktor, and Makoto approach. He paced back and forth slightly even as Ryusei hissed and shifted uncomfortably overhead. "What of the children, though?"

"We are under no obligation to reveal anything," Jace told him. "Other than the fact that we are here to destroy you and your companion to claim this Key Creature."

"_That _was clear from the start," Epsilon said, now raising his arms to ear level. "And I expected that. Let's see how it goes."

"Prepare!" Jace shouted, just as a dozen assorted, giant plants flashed and roared into existence in the air around Epsilon. The plants were varied; there were some that were balls of roots and vines with single, large colorful flowers; some that were masses of dark green, thorny vines; and yet others that were too chaotic and wicked looking to describe fully.

"Behold the right arm of nature," Epsilon announced. "Her greenery." And with that, every plant shot forth in attack. Jace, Viktor, and Makoto wasted no time in avoiding the onslaught, and when they stood, Viktor's green aura and Makoto's white one were up and strong. The largest plant, however, had pinned down Jace, its thick vines trapping his right arm.

"Assist me!" he cried. Viktor complied by summoning Elvish Warrior, who hacked several vines off and freed Jace.

"Not too bad," Epsilon commented, gathering his plants together. "Both children have mana auras? I don't know who taught them, but it won't help. I _will _win this battle and Ryusei will belong to Lady Elena. Just watch." Again, the plants surged in attack, faster this time. In addition, three plants with cherry red flowers belched clouds of acidic green spores, and the wind carried the clouds toward the defenders, blinding them. Elvish Warrior was able to block the worst blows on Viktor's part and Nagao, Bound by Honor did the same for Makoto, though the screening was annoyingly effective. Viktor could not see anything except himself and the vague shadow of Elvish Warrior doing its best to defend him.

"Again, you demonstrate ability," Epsilon said as the spore cloud finally cleared, revealing the wounded defenders. "Now let's see you avoid _this." _The largest plant, the one that had harmed Jace initially, stirred and fired hundreds of fist-sized seeds, each one razor sharp and shooting toward the kids and Jace. They went in a wide arc, impossible to dodge. Viktor prepared for a quick Vine Trellis when, to his surprise, the seeds as one turned halfway and peppered the mother plant all over, cutting it in hundreds of places. The plant squealed in protest, its feelers flailing like arms. Epsilon scowled and took a few steps forward. "What trickery is this?!" he demanded.

"Simple," Jace told him. "Look."

Viktor felt surprise and elation at seeing Jace's attack-warping homunculus hugging the stem of the mother plant's largest flower, its blue eyes aglow as it worked its magic.

"That homunculus can redirect an opponent's attacks back at them," Jace said. "That plant is only going to hurt itself from now on."

"And just _when _did you put that foul thing there?" Epsilon demanded.

"During the spore cloud-assisted attack," Jace said. "The screen blocked your vision of the events as well as ours, and that's when the homunculus took hold. It would be impossible to find the mother plant normally, so I attached a beacon to the plant. When the mother plant attacked my arm initially, I had the beacon in my hand and attached it to the plant. Then, the homunculus was drawn to the beacon during the spore attack. Plus, I knew right away that the spore attack would happen. I recognized those plants with the red flowers as spore emitters."

"Good going, Jace!" Makoto cheered. "We can get him!"

"I agree," Jace said. "I have crippled him; finish it."

Eager to comply, Makoto sent Nagao forward, assisted by Viktor's Fighting Drake. The two pumped creatures fought evenly with Epsilon's plants, though they slowly gained the upper hand with the mother plant's forced inactivity. They closed in on Epsilon for the kill —

And ten more plants appeared out of nowhere, hacking apart the attacking creatures and gaining the advantage due to their unexpected arrival.

"Did you think that was all I had?" Epsilon called out as the new plants successfully protected their master. "Don't presume I'm so limited."

"He was holding back on purpose," Viktor noted to Makoto. "Caught us by surprise."

"We have to find another way, I guess," Makoto said back. "I wonder how many he has?"

"There is one way around this," Jace told them. He seemed taken aback by the move but not unsettled. "I know this tactic; surprise summoning. There is no way to know how many times he will be able to do this, since I don't know the extent of his collection. This battle will be very difficult so long has he uses surprise summons. However, I can think of a way to draw all of them out at once. Prepare certain spells, both of you."

Sarkhan Vol's fierce passion and apparent anger motivated Devin and Kelly to fight hard to defeat their foe. Devin did have one thing he wanted to know, however.

"What's going on, Sarkhan? What did Delta do?" he asked of the Jund Planeswalker.

"Maybe I'll just show you what he's talking about," Delta said, reaching into his pockets again. "Better to show than tell. It's more interesting that way."

Delta produced eight pointy, white objects and secured them into the sockets on his knuckles, each over six inches long. Admiring their look, Delta gave a grin and charged once again, sending his fists into the ground near Sarkhan and Devin. This time, one of the sharp objects grazed Devin's leg, producing a wound several inches long that burned fiercely. Sarkhan quickly got back on his feet, his body tensed to move again.

"And what are those?" Devin cried, clutching his wound with his eyes fixed on Delta's newest accessories.

Sarkhan began to answer him, but Delta interrupted him. "Dragon teeth," the Hunter said proudly. "I went to the Jund Plane before coming here, found a medium-sized dragon predator, and killed it with my own hands. I tore out its teeth and here's one set of them. It's a real mark of a good fighter, isn't it? You slay a powerful enemy and use him to fight even better."

Devin's eyes widened in realization of the implications. He knew that Sarkhan Vol was passionate about dragons, revering them as the best creatures alive. And here was someone who killed one for sport and tore out its teeth for use as weapons!

"Okay, then," Devin said in deadly quiet. "In that case… Volcanic Dragon!" The red, scaly beast came into existence, fueled by Devin's red mana aura. The beast roared and dived toward Delta with its jaws wide open and its claws outstretched for the kill. Kelly's Hunted Horror joined the fray, with its multiple mouths and twisted body parts hungry for flesh. As expected, two green Centaurs appeared, charging in to slay the Hunted Horror, and that was where Sarkhan Vol helped out.

Sarkhan pointed his staff, and two circular waves of mana flew toward the Centaurs, and they stopped attacking the Horror and pursued Delta instead: Devin recognized this creature-taking ability. The combined Volcanic Dragon, Hunted Horror, and two Centaurs assaulted Delta at once. Delta had little trouble knocking out the two Centaurs, yet the Dragon and Horror had more success. The Horror had one arm torn off, and it retaliated with its mouths biting into Delta's flesh. The Dragon whipped Delta with its sharp tail and raked him with its claws.

"Destroy him!" Sarkhan roared, casting a second spell. Now, the Horror and Dragon were pumped by Sarkhan's +1/+1 ability, vamping up their attack force.

"All right, this is enough," Delta rumbled, then his red and green mana aura blazed to life; just the aura was enough to send the Horror and Dragon reeling and stunned. Delta flexed his massive muscles and socked Hunted Horror right in the chest, and his fist buried itself halfway into its flesh. In a flash, Delta closed in on the dragon, grabbing its tail, pulling it closer, and landing a kick on its lower abdomen. Even a combined Consume Spirit and Fireball only discouraged further attack; Kelly's mana was somewhat replenished by the Consume Spirit. Delta rolled his shoulders and bent his fingers.

"Better do better, everyone," he told the three, inspecting the wounds he had received. "Impressive you forced me to use my full mana aura like this; I guess you improved since Beta and Gamma fought you. But will it be enough to best Epsilon and me? Only one way to find that out. I'm looking forward to a good nap when this is through."

"I hardly think Battle-Mad Ronin will be enough to get him," Makoto told Jace quietly when the other had informed him of the plan. "It's only a 1/1 Bushido 2."

"Its nature is all I want," Jace told him. "Get out another creature to bolster his fighting." Then, to Viktor: "Get out defensive creatures, just in case."

"So, finished chatting?" Epsilon called over. "I will not wait all day for this. Attack, my plants!"

Upon his command, all of Epsilon's plant servants, minus the mother plant, surged forth with a variety of pollens, poison perfumes, and vines reaching for the defenders. Makoto had Battle-Mad Ronin and Iizuka the Ruthless, along with Mothrider Samurai. Upon Jace's command, Iizuka sacrificed Mothrider Samurai, granting Battle-Mad Ronin double strike.

"It will take more than that to best Mother Nature," Epsilon declared. The brunt of the plant assault was stalled by a highly mana-infused and enlarged Vine Trellis, buying Jace enough time to multiply Battle-Mad Ronin into ten.

"Now!" Jace ordered. The ten Battle-Mad Ronins pounced into action, directly taking on the plants. Viktor noticed right away that their power was limited; they were only a little stronger than a non-infused Ronin. As it was, each Ronin clone was not very powerful, which could probably be attributed to the mana spread evenly between them. At least Iizuka allowed them to attack very rapidly, other wise they would be overwhelmed by the plants' superior numbers. The Ronins only fought evenly with the plants at best, never getting close to Epsilon himself.

"And now I make this serious," Jace announced, clapping his hands together. Viktor saw nothing particularly interesting, until one of the Ronins swung his sword down and the blade hit the ground with titanic force, creating a huge gash in the ground and throwing everyone off their feet.

"What in —? How did that happen?" Epsilon spat in shock. A second Ronin did much the same, gashing a plant in half so rigorously that the Ronin blazed forth and hacked two more plants to pieces. Not even one second later, a third Ronin punted a large plant far away with its bare foot, and a fourth proceeded to grab a plant and throw it into another, destroying both. Further, Jace now took part of the battle, firing beams of fizzling blue mana; whenever this mana hit the plants, the plants would be stunned, making them even easier targets for the pumped Ronin clones.

"Damn you!" Epsilon cursed, and then summoned close to a _hundred _additional plants.

"That must be his full repertoire," Jace commented to Viktor and Makoto. "No way he can afford to hold any back. Expect no more surprise summons."

Viktor was about to ask how the Ronin clones got so powerful when he figured it out: Jace was pooling all ten clones' mana power into a single one, making it powerful. Then, very quickly, that pooled power would be given to another, and another; the clones took rapid turns having the power of all ten put together. This was apparent when Viktor saw that no two clones struck powerful blows at the same time. They simply appeared to all be powerful, and fast, too, with Iizuka on the field. This prompted Epsilon to summon all his plants and lose his advantage of surprise summons. That, along with the stun man Jace was using, made this battle a sure win.

"All right!" Makoto exclaimed. "Now we've got him. He can't possibly survive this."

"No. You won't," Epsilon announced firmly, taking several steps forward. Makoto jumped.

"Well, forget I said that," he muttered. Epsilon closed his eyes for a second, and then each of his plants briefly had a dull green flash. The next time Jace fired his stun beams, the mana simply bounced off of the plants, not affecting them at all. Worse, Viktor watched as Epsilon took hold of his sword handle with his left hand and draw the blade. The sword had a circular gold and silver hilt, and a curving blade of medium to long length. It was pearly and almost looked like stone, but was the thickness of a metal sword and seemed just as sharp.

Viktor had this suspicion confirmed when Epsilon leaped into air and hacked a Ronin in half, then turned and clashed blades with a second. The Ronin obviously had the pooled mana in it, for it resisted Epsilon's struggles. However, Epsilon was clearly a sword expert; he deftly ducked around the Ronin, and shot away, leaving another split Ronin in his wake. The rest of the Ronins were deftly defeated, leaving Epsilon alone with his plants.

"Nice move, Planeswalker," he said. "I see what you did. You pooled the clones' mana into one of them and rapidly traded it among them, creating the illusion that they _all _had the boost when in fact, that was not so. Pretty effective move; you have my compliments. Now, however, I will take an active part in this battle and redouble my efforts." He looked over at the mother plant, with Jace's homunculus still attached. Epsilon strode over to the plant, tore off the homunculus, and punted it hundreds of feet away, watching it fly in a low arc and crash to the ground. Despite the situation, Viktor did his best not to laugh.

With that, all the plants attacked again, this time with Epsilon in their midst. Llanowar Behemoth and Takeno, Samurai General both moved forward to meet the attack. This time, after difficult fighting on both sides' part, almost half the plants suddenly moved away from the battle and took root in a particularly rich section of soil. It was more difficult to combat the plants with the plants' shroud and the absence of Jace's stun mana. After less than a minute, the plants uprooted themselves and returned to battle, much more powerful than before. Just as the refreshed plants were about to tip the scales steeply in Epsilon's favor, the other half of the plants did the same: they left the battle and took root.

"Looks like his plants have to heal and recover strength in shifts," Makoto noted. He and Viktor needed all their spells just to keep up with the plants and Epsilon himself, who made things difficult with his sword mastery. Then, when the first half went to the soil patch to recover and take root, Jace took a mighty blow from a kick by Epsilon, and was sent tumbling back over a dozen feet.

"Well, even the mighty Planeswalker can't stand!" Epsilon gloated. "You are next, children!"

The rooted plants rose once again to rejoin their master and allow the other half to take root; once the tired half took root, however, the active half spasmed with blue mana and fell limp to the ground as one.

"What the —?" Epsilon sputtered, then cried out as several of Makoto's and Viktor's creatures dealt blows to the shocked Hunter, making him stagger. "How? My plants! Their shroud —"

"— is not perfect by any means," Jace said, getting up. He held his hand to his abdomen and had a limp; apparently, Epsilon's kick had been powerful. "Your strength is your weakness, Hunter. It is impossible for me to directly stun your plants, so as soon as I tumbled to the ground, I touched the ground with my hands and sent my stun mana into it. The mana flowed to the nutrients and water your plants are absorbing over there, and I activated it as soon as the time was right. Even those plants over there are absorbing the same mana-saturated water and nutrients."

"Damn it!" Epsilon cried, now flaring his green and white mana aura into existence and flourishing his sword with expert ability. Before anything else could happen, however, thundering footsteps sounded and everyone froze.

"It seems that little Jace's big brain is giving my darlings trouble again," a wickedly sweet voice commented: the towering and horrific Reaper King lumbered out of nowhere, with Elena herself standing on top of its pumpkin-like head and looking down at the assembled combatants.

"It's her! She's back!" Makoto cried in surprise.

"Yes, I am, child," Elena called back. "It _does _seem that you all have improved since our last meet. Just look at those mana auras! My Hunters can't seem to do anything without you all stepping in the way. I suppose this will have to be handled the hard way. Epsilon! Delta! If you will."

At the same time, Epsilon and Delta jumped far away from their foes and confronted Ryusei, and their hands began shining their colors. Wasting no time, both Hunters pressed their glowing hands to Ryusei's red, scaly hide and began to seep him in their magic.

"Now this creature will belong to me," Elena told everyone else. "I'll just have them subdue it and bring it back to ShadowMoor where I may absorb it in peace!"

"No!" Viktor yelled, and Simic Sky Swallower surged into being, along with a Sengir Vampire and a Fireball. All those spells and creatures were helpless, however. Elena jumped down from the Reaper King's head, sprouting ragged black demon wings on her back and swooping in to intercept the kids' spells. Her left arm expanded into a massive tentacle ending in a mouth and bit Sengir Vampire in half with one bite. Her other arm fired a surge of lightning, slowing the Simic Sky Swallower and making it rumble in protest. The Fireball was easily deflected by a blue and white shield.

"Don't let them get the creature!" Sarkhan roared. "We don't have much time! Here goes…!" with that, five medium sized red dragons appeared into the air; Viktor recognized this as his dragon token summoning. Devin wasted no time in mounting one of the dragons, and all five of them flapped at maximum speed toward the battlefield around Ryusei. Makoto boarded a dragon himself in attempt to stop Devin, yet fell behind.

"Wait! It's too dangerous!" Makoto called after him, but Devin had made up his mind. Dodging Elena's distance attacks, Devin navigated his temporary dragon mount to the much larger Ryusei's head and produced his blank Ryusei, the Falling Star card. He promptly pressed it to the dragon's head and began to absorb it, just as Viktor had done to Isperia the Inscrutable in ShadowMoor. Epsilon and Delta made their shock and anger clear, yet they were too late; all of Ryusei was sucked back into the card, leaving a massive empty space where the dragon had been.

"In your face!" Devin roared at Elena, waving Ryusei's now full card at her where she hovered. "I got it! No Key Creature for you!"

"Curse you, vile child!" Elena said hoarsely, her innocent tones melting away. She transformed her left arm into a giant's, picked up a boulder, and heaved it at Devin on his dragon token. Devin's mount rolled just in time to dodge the projectile, allowing it to whoosh past. Makoto, however, was slower; the boulder rammed right into his dragon, killing it and causing it to spiral to the ground.

"Ah ha!" Elena cried triumphantly, zooming after him. She pulled back her giant arm in preparation to strike, with Makoto helpless to block the incoming punch. The huge fist shot forth —

And a swath of glowing gold and white energy was there to stop the attack cold, leaving the arm stuck.

"Don't you dare touch him," a girl's voice said in deadly quiet. Both Makoto and Elena looked on in surprise to see Ashley standing between them, her legs parted in a bracing stance and the Holy Day card in her raised hand and a white and blue mana aura around her. The card prevented all combat damage dealt for that time. The force of the blocked attack was fierce; it made Ashley's and Makoto's hair and clothes ripple and wave in it, yet Ashley stood steadfast like a holy guardian.

"What —? Another joins us?" Elena commented, able to pull her giant arm back, turning it to normal again.

"Now you pay for everything you've done!" Ashley declared. Sky Hussar and Cerulean Sphinx appeared and blazed toward their impressed foe; Elena was quick to move, allowing both attackers to slam into the ground where she had stood. Azorius First Wing was quick to follow up, attacking Elena with uncharacteristic savagery; the griffin succeeded in scoring a shallow cut on Elena's left shoulder. Elena was quick to even the situation by destroying the First Wing and Sky Hussar, though she appeared shaken by Ashley's furious and unexpected attack.

"You children are so hard to predict," Elena growled, losing her sweet countenance and replacing it with a searing anger and malice. Her arm was a giant's, a dragon's clawed legs, and an insect's tough carapace torso to fight Ashley's creatures. "You take the Key Creature I found first, have mana auras, and show up out of nowhere! It is time I take the initiative myself."

Despite her bulky and assembled body, Elena was quick to push past Ashley's defensive spells and stun Makoto with a blow to his head. Even a Plumes of Peace was helpless to stop her; Elena moved back, carrying Makoto in her giant's arm and with Delta and Epsilon rushing to her side. Not giving up, Ashley charged through a shock wave of defensive mana Delta released, confronted Elena, and out of desperation, slapped the other across the face.

"You…" Elena hissed, and then punched Ashley's stomach with her normal arm, sending her tumbling away limply.

"Sister!" Kelly cried, rushing forth to help her. Viktor and Devin were quick to keep Kelly from getting too close to Elena and her Hunters' attack range, yet could still listen to what Elena told them.

"Savor this victory while you can, children!" Elena told them. Energy whipped a windy storm around her, acting as a barrier. "The last two Key Creatures _will _belong to me, and the Multiverse will be mine alone! Not even the best training will stop my conquest, and this one will help me."

She hefted the unconscious Makoto in her giant arm. "I can Enslave him too, and he will help me find his Key Creature. If you dare to resist me too much, his life will be taken. Be warned." With that, Elena, Delta, Epsilon, and Makoto vanished in a blinding green flash, the unnatural winds dying down.

Viktor, Devin, Kelly, Ashley, Jace, and Sarkhan stared in astonishment at the new development and Makoto's absence. Though they had claimed a second of the four loose Key Creatures, they hardly felt elated about the victory. One of them was now in their foe's grasp, and the power arrayed against them had been made even clearer. Epsilon and Delta had proved powerful enemies, and there were still Alpha and Beta out there, all with the same mission.

"Damn… it…" Viktor cursed, on his knees and hitting the ground. "She got away, and the others too! Now Makoto's hers! We can't even protect ourselves!"

"Viktor, easy," Kelly consoled, kneeling by him. "Come on. We got Ryusei just fine, and the two Hunters weren't that bad. Ashley's back, too. We're not that helpless, you know…"

"But what we do isn't enough!" Viktor exclaimed, giving her a pained look. "Even if we get all the Key Creatures, Elena isn't any weaker because of it. She just won't get any stronger, and her Enslavement is still going and we don't know how to slow or stop it!"

"Really," Kelly told him, helping him up. "You know by now that Elena can mess with your emotions and hurt you. That's one of the things we have to fight and be strong against. Her tricks haven't gotten us yet. Even in Ravnica, when Devin was warped into joining the Orzhov against us, or in Lorwyn, where the Key Creatures were cursed, we can overcome. We're already halfway done recovering our creatures."

Viktor let her words comfort him and push away his doubts. He had forgotten about the mental tampering that was one of their adversary's many capabilities. Kelly was right; there was no reason to feel despair. They had already defeated one Hunter, Gamma, and were at least an even match with the next two. Plus, he doubted that Georgi's training was fully complete; there was certain to be more to learn from him and the other Planeswalkers. Reassured, he joined the others; Sarkhan went his own way, promising to eventually have Delta's head for killing a dragon, and Jace took the kids back to Bant, their safehold.


	13. Chapter 13

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 13

By Louis Kemner 2008

A tremendous waterfall roared over the edge of a great cliff, its missions of gallons of water thundering and flowing over the rock edge and falling thousands of feet into the ocean below. Heavy curtains and clouds of mists hovered over and around the surging water, creating many small rainbows. There were several enchanted chunks of rock hovering before the waterfall, many with green moss on their surfaces. The largest rock of them all, over a thousand feet across, housed the majestic and awe-inspiring Minamo Academy, home to the teaching of a wide variety of magic and held reverence and respect for the Soratami Moon Folk overhead.

"Lady Elena," Beta told his mistress, "Is this the place?" He took in the great school before him in its entire splendor.

"Yes, it is," Elena told him. "I believe it is time to knock."

Elena, with dragon wings on her back, flew closer to the looming school through clouds of the waterfall's mists, with Beta, Delta, and Epsilon flying right behind her astride Enslaved winged Scarecrows enchanted beyond their usual durability. It was not long before an ominous disturbance caught their attention.

"Does anyone hear that?" Delta wondered out loud, his ears trained to catch any sounds or sights. A low, rumbling growl reverberated in the foursome's ears, and another rumble sounded from under the water before the great waterfall. Then, a blue head started to emerge from the water, followed by a long neck and body. Great rippling fins on the sides of the creature fanned out kept it afloat and churned the already turbulent water: Keiga, the Tide Star loomed large and powerful before the extra planar invaders. Keiga opened his chops and let loose a warning roar.

"What a lovely dragon," Elena said out loud. "Perhaps the easiest thing to do would be to kill him, but I can't afford to waste this one. Hunters. Allow me to handle it."

Keiga had no patience for the intruders who refused to retreat or leave the grounds of his precious Academy, and sensed the vile nature of the four who intruded on his territory. Wasting no time, Keiga snapped his head forward with the intent to eat the four whole.

Elena was quick to soar away from the move, and her Hunters flew in a different direction to avoid interfering unless called upon. She started to elongate and grow, with a red-orange tail sprouting from her lower back and her limbs growing. Elena's whole body grew and warped until she her body was that of a dragon she had absorbed on Dominaria. Elena sent a roar of her own, and the two dragons grappled and wrestled each other with titanic and earth-shaking force. They appeared to fight evenly, until Keiga seized Elena's throat and forced her upper half under the water, trying to drown her. Elena squirmed and struggled to no avail against Keiga's grip.

"Do you suppose she is in need of us now?" Delta asked, watching Elena's plight from his Scarecrow. He held the unconscious Makoto under his bulky arm.

"I have my doubts," Epsilon told him, his eyes also fixed on the battle below. "Our Lady is too crafty to fall for this." For some reason, he almost found himself encouraging Keiga to fight harder and win. Why was that?

Sure enough, just when it seemed that Keiga had won, a mottled green and gray slimy tentacle shot out of the water like an angry snake and wrapped around Keiga's own neck, and a second and third soon joined the first. It was hard to see Elena's body under the water, but the three Hunters could see that she was changing, growing rounder and darker. More thick tentacles came up and wrestled Keiga away, freeing the massive Kraken that burst out of the water where the dragon Elena had been.

"Makes sense," Beta commented casually. "Krakens are sea creatures, more so than a fire-breather. I see."

The fearsome Kraken, with its squat, squid-like body and ten tentacles around its sharp-toothed mouth, wreaked revenge on its oppressor. Keiga fought back against the flailing tentacles, successfully biting off the last third of two of them. However, Elena's new water-suited body gave her even ground with Keiga, and her overall power was greater than the dragon's. Already subduing and trapping Keiga with her tentacles, one of the tentacles morphed into the usual giant's arm, which seized Keiga's throat in a death grip. The aquatic dragon defender roared and struggled to break free, but it was now as defenseless as Elena had been, and Keiga could not transform or warp his body like his adversary could.

Recognizing their opportunity, Beta, Delta, and Epsilon dived in on the scene, touching Keiga's rubber-like hide with their now glowing hands, and before even a minute passed, a green diamond shape took form on Keiga's forehead, and Elena fully released her grip. Elena shrunk her Kraken body with the giant arm into her own normal one with dragon wings, making the scene seem much emptier without the second massive beast.

"Success," Elena said simply, watching the Enslaved Keiga bow his head and give a submissive growl. "I suppose I hurt the dragon more than I needed to, but I find that unimportant. Come with me, Hunters. Inside the Academy."

Once in the entry hall of the Academy, a number of guards and curious students came forth to greet the newcomers with questions and offers to join the school. They were met with a blazing attack that left the group dead, and the four intruders pushed farther into the school, wreaking havoc.

"Aren't we going to Enslave them?" Delta asked as he knocked a student out of a window with a single punch.

"It is easier to Enslave them once they taste the fear and torment of death," Elena told him sharply as she breathed fire like a dragon to roast a few others. "Do not kill them all. Only some."

"These guards will only attack. Might be hard to Enslave them," Beta said as he fired thin beams of black fire from his palms, taking down the armed guards who had charged him. Epsilon was silent as his ivory sword took down those in his way. Within ten minutes, over a third of the inhabitants of the school had been slain, and the rest huddled in a frightened mass in the headmaster's huge hallway and office.

"You are the remainder, then?" Elena told the mass menacingly, taking steps toward them. Several desperate spells sizzled through the air at her; she casually knocked them away with her hands and sent them into the walls and ceiling. "Good. You're about to have a new mistress here. I am Elena."

"You will never take us!" the headmaster shouted, an old man with sweeping robes and a long beard. The character for knowledge was stitched on his hat. "I now know who you are. Planeswalkers passing though our realm have identified you as the Defiled One, the one who will spell the doom of the Multiverse!"

"Somebody did their homework," Elena said icily. "Enough stalling!" With that, she knelt and pressed her hands to the wooden floor. Sickly green mana flowed across the floor and seeped into the students and headmaster alike like a plant would absorb water from soil. Several hundred green diamond marks stared back at Elena as the students and headmaster bowed in submission, groveling to their new master.

"That's very good," Elena said, walking forward again. The newly Enslaved students parted to allow her to pass, and she stood at the opposite end of the room. She secured the headmaster's wooden throne chair and took a seat on it, assuming an air of command, especially since she had just taken the chair of the headmaster and met no resistance. "I claim Minamo Academy as my own fortress. This will be my place of security until all of Kamigawa is mine. When that is done, I'll move on to another Plane and create a bodily clone of myself to maintain my rule here. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, our Lady," the mass of students and headmaster chanted back, getting up.

"Now, Hunters," Elena told them. "Clean up the terrible mess in here. Afterward, carry out what you will. There are two Key Creatures left to claim, and I want them no matter the cost. Delta, please deposit the boy here next to me first."

Delta obeyed, but not without a quick comment. "My Lady," he ventured, "You seem to be in a mood most foul today."

"You and Epsilon's failure in Kamigawa is not pleasing," Elena told him. "But do not feel too much guilt. I am far from defeated, and the children have yet to see my full power, or yours and the other Hunters'. Continue your service to the best of your ability, and that is all I ask for now."

Though the night sky was dark, there was no absence of light in Telomano city or its outskirts, one of the major cities of Oneah in Dominaria. Hundreds of fierce orange lights from countless torches and fires blocked the night's darkness from reaching the city's limits or outskirts, allowing every detail in the stone buildings to stand out in clear detail in the grisly light. Even every blade of grass stood like a razor apart from its brethren in the artificial day.

"And a dozen more, I tell you, who house this defiled wickedness within themselves!" a man in a wide brimmed hat called out to the bloodthirsty crowd, his black mustache waving. He himself held a torch, giving light to a horse-pulled wagon that had a flat, square bed with a fence, and twelve ordinary people were standing like livestock on it. They cried out for their innocence and the injustice that befell them, but the crowd only roared for their deaths.

Standing on the judicial building's shallow, stone steps was Alpha, along with a number of officials who watched the grim procession. There was the wagon of twelve people, and further along the procession was another wagon of a similar load. Thousands of people lined the streets were watching and holding torches as the condemned were led to the riverside. The river cut the city of Telomano in half, with stone-built banks with mortar. Dozens of wooden poles had been erected at the bank, ten feet apart with masses of tender at the bases.

Alpha watched as another wave of condemned people were tied to the posts, with the crowd cheering on the executions about to take place. An official stepped forward and announced, "These people are condemned tonight to death for their work with the demonic spirits! They have chosen to ally with the Raungir vermin and attempt the overthrow of our peaceful and just society! Long have we lived in memory of the terror the Raungir caused us in times past, and they dare to relive it now! Now, condemned, are you prepared for your judgment?"

There were pleas and cries from the condemned, yet the crowd shouted back insults and jeered in return. Then, a number of guards stepped up to the condemned and lit the tinder on fire, and the flames spread to consume the ones tied to the posts. The night would have been dark and chilly, but the hundreds of fire kept everyone sweating in heat of both air and twisted excitement, and the light of the fire kept the area anything but dark.

Alpha encouraged the procession as it went on. He had incited the Raungir cult into rebellion with the purpose of rallying the Telomano people against them. Once the feared cult was put down, accusations of collaboration and demon-worship had sparked and spread like a fire, and not one person was spared their part of the fervor. Alpha credited himself as a major player in subduing the Raungir and was considered a hero in the eyes of the Oneans, allowing him to oversee the hunts in comfort.

The wild riots incited fear, mistrust, paranoia, and cruelty into the hearts of every Telomano citizen. Relatives, friends, and guilds were all turned against each other as fear and paranoia encouraged accusations back and forth, until fathers condemned sons, aunts condemned nieces, and friends condemned each other, guild workers condemning their leaders. Alpha was neutral as far as the Raungir cult was concerned. All he wanted was the fear, terror, and paranoia to seep into the heart of every Onean, making them perfect for Enslavement. The witch hunts would create a snowball effect, gaining momentum over time until the entire Onean country would be plagued by it, and then Enslaved. The simplicity, ease, and effectiveness of the plan could only be conceived by a mind like Elena's, Alpha thought.

Watching the grim procedures, Alpha's mind twitched slightly. He recognized it as one of the other Hunters wishing to meet with him. After excusing himself from the other officials, Alpha left eyesight and sped to the open riverbank well outside the city limit and the suburbs, near a tall cliff from which a waterfall fell that fed the river and split Telomano in half. It was dark here, with only faint lighting from the hundreds of torches in the city and the pearly moon overhead. In a flash of light green light, Epsilon appeared.

"Well then," Alpha said in a way of greeting. "What brings you?"

"This is the plan Elena supplied you with for Oneah's Enslavement, isn't it?" Epsilon asked, turning to look at the witch hunt-fevered city.

"Our Lady told me to find an effective way to Enslave the valiant Oneans quickly and easily, because they would become a major threat against us left alone," Alpha told Epsilon. "I myself devised the witch hunt plan as my method. The hunts are only in this city and the surrounding area right now, yet they will spread quickly and darken the heart of every Onean. After that, Enslavement will be even faster and easier. My will is Elena's will."

"Sacrificing so many for our cause," Epsilon said quietly, again looking over his shoulder at the city. "Imagine it. Is this really the way?"

"It is not the required one, but none is," Alpha answered. "Any method that will bring about quick and effective Enslavement here is acceptable and viable. This is what I chose. Is it not satisfactory for you, Epsilon?"

"I only…" Epsilon started, then stopped, swallowing hard as his eyes flicked back and forth in thought. "Many lives are being lost, Alpha, and much chaos and war. These witch hunts, and slaughtering Akki in Kamigawa and attacking Minamo Academy to add to the Enslaved army to conquer the Multiverse…I find it…"

"What objection do you hold?" Alpha probed. "Do you think we are drawing too much attention? You should know that we can handle whatever attention we draw, even with Gamma's death and the loss of two of the four wild Key Creatures. Perhaps you could aid me, Epsilon, in finding another Key Creature, then? I could ask Lady Elena to arrange for Beta or Delta to oversee these hunts and the Enslavement to follow."

"It's not that," Epsilon said, gaining determination in his voice. His left hand was a fist. "It seems wrong, Alpha, very wrong. I can't bear the pained faces of those being massacred to further our cause. Lady Elena smiles and acts friendly around us and her other subjects, but under that countenance is something else, something darker. I don't like it."

"That sounds like very unacceptable talk there, Epsilon," Alpha warned, taking a few steps closer to his companion. "What is the base line of this thinking? Well?"

"You, Elena, the others…" Epsilon breathed, locking his eyes on Alpha's own. "I can't take it! This is evil work, Alpha, and I won't take part in it! I can't accept our methods and actions in good conscience. I renounce my alliance with Elena, you, and the others!"

"Then, in that case," Alpha told him icily, "I feel obligated to slay you right now, and wipe your traitorous presence off of this land." He started to reach into his robes —

And Epsilon's ivory sword plunged into Alpha's chest, right between his ribs. The attacked hunter stared down at the blade penetrating him with an expression impossible to decipher. Epsilon held his sword's handle in both hands, using his full strength to run Alpha through, breathing heavily and regarding Alpha with a fierce expression.

Alpha slowly gripped the sword blade with his armored hand, wrapping his fingers around the ivory. Epsilon strained to pull the blade out of Alpha's flesh but was unable to; Alpha's mana only allowed the blade to come out when he willed it.

"You…" Alpha stated, slowly pulling the blade out, "Are a traitor." As soon as the blade was fully out, Alpha threw a lightning-fast punch to Epsilon's face, sending the other Hunter flying hundreds of feet back and up into the air, slamming into the rock cliff behind him. In a blue-black blur, Alpha was right before Epsilon in a split-second, and grabbed him and threw him all the way down to the ground. Alpha followed with great speed, crouching over the trapped and injured Epsilon, drawing his dagger. His mana aura was now up, leeching Epsilon of his energy and willpower.

"This is where you die," Alpha told him quietly, and the blade descended. Before the dagger met its target, Epsilon screwed his face in intense concentration and vanished in a flash of light green mana, sword and all. The dagger blade thunked into the soil.

Alpha looked in surprise at Epsilon's absence, then realized the other had managed to resist his willpower drain just enough to Planeswalk away from harm. He did not feel ashamed that his newly acquired target had escaped, however. One renegade Hunter would not be an effective resistance and Alpha would soon make the time to hunt the Hunter down to kill him, or else Elena would make other arrangements for killing Epsilon.

Alpha merely got up and returned his dagger to its sheath, allowing his mana aura to start leeching the life force from the plants and animals underfoot, supplying him to energy to heal his sword wound. Epsilon's sword hadn't done much damage to Alpha's body, but Alpha knew better than to overlook anything of interest, big or small. He merely walked back to the witch hunt-plagued city, leaving a trail of frosty death behind him and allowing himself time to think.

"I see. This is quite mixed news," King Teramont said gravely, rubbing his weary face with one hand and gripping his king's scepter in the other. The golden rod was four feet long and imbued with gems and other precious metals. The King had just finished listening to the kids recounting their quest in Kamigawa, about fighting Delta and Epsilon, recovering Ryusei, Ashley's appearance, and Makoto's capture. Georgi was there too, taking in their every word.

"That's pretty much how it went," Viktor shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"The scope of our opponent's craftiness and prowess is continuing to impress and frighten me," King Teramont said after a short pause. "I can't say what she plans to do with your companion, but it can't be anything good. Further, two more Hunters have appeared but not been destroyed. Were they an even challenge to you?"  
"They're strong," Kelly said, "But we can hold our own against them. Even the middle-strongest one wasn't too bad. I think that with more training, we could take them out next time we meet."

"Well, I certainly hope so," King Teramont commented. "Allowing those beasts to run free is not what I want to be forced to do. The other Planeswalkers are being informed of the Hunters' capabilities and appearances, the better to stall their mission. With only two Key Creatures left to find, the four left will make every effort to find one or both."

"And what about the other kingdoms?" Devin wondered, changing the subject suddenly. "Aren't you working to unite them together as a force against Elena?"

"One of the satellite kingdoms of Angellight has been convinced," answered King Teramont, "And my earls and ministers are making progress with another. King Haraven himself, however, is more difficult to convince than a slighted Rhox right now. Perhaps if you killed another one of her Hunters and brought proof of his death, that could help to show Elena can be beaten and there is yet hope."

"We could try," Viktor assured him.

"Best of luck to you all, then," Teramont told the kids. "That is all. I have other matters that require my attention as well. Good day."

Once everyone was out of the king's hall, Viktor was quick to ask Georgi, "What are we going to do now? Rescue Makoto, slay a Hunter, find another Creature?"

"I think," Georgi said, "That we owe a visit to all of your parents." Seeing the surprised reactions he incited, he added, "They don't know what we are doing, and keeping them in the dark isn't right. All of them will be told of what is happening, and the importance of your mission."

"How would we convince them?" Ashley wondered. "Our dad wouldn't like this at all." She referred to her and Kelly's father, whom they lived with.

"I'll do the talking," Georgi said. "Though the child for each parent should be present when I speak. I have a way with words; this won't be too difficult a chore. We'll back here fighting monsters and saving lives in no time at all." As he said this, Georgi began to change his countenance again; out of sight of everyone else, his skin began to wrinkle, his hair whitened and thinned out, and his slight stoop came back. He put his glasses back on and said, "Let's be off."

With the Key Cards, they were no more.

Viktor's parents, at least, weren't hysterical or angry when Georgi and himself told his parents what was going on. Both of them naturally were shocked about what their son was doing when he was away, but Georgi had warned them that if Elena succeeded, she would be able to Planeswalk to Earth and find and kill Viktor and his friends. Viktor wasn't sure if that last part was true, but it helped in convincing Viktor's parents to allow him to continue going to the Multiverse. He was on his cell phone later with the others that evening in his bedroom.

"Huh? I can't hear you!" Devin cried over a din at his end. There was hysterical shouting and arguing raging from the receiver.

"It's me! Viktor!" Viktor said loudly into the phone. "Did my grandfather visit your parents yet?"

"That's what this noise is all about!" Devin roared back, then shouted in his room away from the phone, "Don't say that about my friend's grandpa, mom! What the hell!" and then back to Viktor, "Sorry, man, they're taking it pretty hard. Georgi's not having an easy time."

Viktor thought for a second, and his friend's parents' reactions made sense. Devin's parents were strict and protective people, not even allowing Devin to move out of their home to attend the college he went to with Viktor. Devin had the money and responsibility to live on his own, but his parents wouldn't hear of it. And now this, with their son's life on the line whenever he went to the Multiverse… Viktor could imagine.

"Now, please calm down, Mrs. Willis, and understand the implications," Viktor could hear his grandfather say in a placating tone. "Your son is helping to defeat a wicked and powerful individual the likes of which the Multiverse has never seen, and your son would be hailed as a hero upon the villain's demise —"

"I don't give a damn about your Multi thing!" Viktor could hear Devin's father roar, and then the sound of something shattering. "What about _college? _What about our son's _job? _There'll be plenty of other villains in his life if he neglects and fails those obligations!"

"But can they warp and control your son's mind for evil bidding, like the villainess I am concerned about?" Georgi called back. "Bear in mind, Mr. Willis, if your son doesn't help to stop Elena, then she will gain the prowess to come to Earth and destroy him, and no police force or army will be able to stop her —"

There were loud roars, yells, and thuds after that, and Viktor moved his cell phone away from his ear, staring in exasperation.

"Listen, man," Devin's voice said, "It's getting kinda funky over here so I guess a call tomorrow would better. You know?"

"Sounds about right," Viktor told him back.

"But I do have two F's right now cause of our trips," Devin lamented. "I feel like some kind of delinquent or something."

"You're not the only one," Viktor said back, which he guessed cheered Devin up. The Willis home phone hung up, leaving Viktor's phone silent.

Viktor stared at his phone in silence for a few seconds, then dialed another number, and heard Ashley's voice. "Hello?"

"Um, hi, Ash," Viktor answered. "It's boring over here. May I stop by?"

"Okay. We're not doing much either," Ashley said back, with a tiny laugh. "See you in a bit, Vik."

After saying goodbye to his parents in the upstairs rooms, Viktor got in his red car and pulled out of the driveway and into the dark street, with the street lights giving him visibility in the dark early night. It was not long before Viktor pulled up into a parking space in the parking lot of Ashley and Kelly's apartment complex, and was before their door and knocked.

"Hi," Ashley greeted at the door, allowing Viktor inside from the night's chill. He gratefully entered the threshold, taking off his jacket and hanging it on the coatstand by the door. The apartment room was fairly quiet; the only real sound was the Logans' grandfather clock ticking loudly by the fireplace. Viktor crashed onto the couch, just as Kelly came from the hallway where the bedrooms were.

"Oh! Evening, Viktor," she greeted upon seeing her visitor. "Wasn't expecting company, but um…"

"I know," Viktor assured her. "Not much going on at my house anyway." He tapped the arm of the couch with his fingers. "It's actually been a while since any one of us met just to chill. We've been running around different planes fighting to protect each other's lives up till now."

"This is better, I agree," Kelly said, taking a seat next to him. "Your grandfather told our dad about the Multiverse and everything. He was pretty casual about it, thank god. He didn't even object to —"

"Oi!" a squeaky and demanding voice called from the kitchen. "Someone got their chocolate in my peanut butter! This is _my _peanut butter, all right?!"

"— Object to him," Ashley finished for her sister, amused, as Gerbie waddled into the living room while dragging an open jar of peanut butter with him.

"Can't a gerbil have the food he likes the way he wants it?" the animal demanded. "This is worse than the time someone took my calamari leftovers! Hey! I'm talking here!"

"You eat calamari?" Viktor asked in surprise, his mind filtering out Gerbie's trivial nonsense.

For some reason, Kelly found his simple inquiry funny and laughed. "Dad likes to have unusual food and impresses it on the rest of us too. Gerbie's been pretty enthusiastic about it. He says what we eat is better than Simic growth formulas or the best stuff the Tin Street marketplace."

"Damn right," Gerbie said. "Anyway, I'll just take this back into the kitchen and cry over it… don't mind me." As he dragged the peanut butter jar back into the kitchen, he could be heard muttering, "Unless I add some ketchup and chicken broth and boil it in a pot. That would taste _really good… _I ought to try that…"

Viktor grinned at the outlandish things Gerbie always said, but his mind wasn't entirely there. He felt comfortable and secure here, even though it was his first time visiting Ashley and Kelly's apartment. He hadn't even met their father yet, who was probably in his bedroom right now, judging by the light that came from that room.

"He's always like that," Kelly told Viktor good-naturedly, watching the kitchen; Ashley went in there too, pursuing Gerbie to make sure he didn't make a mess of anything. "It's so much fun."

"Yeah," Viktor agreed, watching the spot she was.

"Anyway," Kelly said in a tone of new subject, "Have you thought over what we're going to do next? When we go back to the Multiverse, I mean."

"Um," Viktor started uncertainly. He wasn't prepared for the topic. "Besides rescuing Makoto, I'm not sure, really. I guess my grandfather has more training for us in Bant, plus helping King Teramont with uniting Bant against Elena. Besides that, I dunno." He shrugged.

"You're right. Makoto has to be found as soon as possible," Kelly agreed. "We can't be sure what Elena will do with him, but it's bound to be bad. We don't even know what plane she took him, what kind of guard there is, or anything. Plus, there's my Key Creature and Makoto's own. I think they're Kuro, Pit Lord for me and Konda, Lord of Eiganjo for Makoto."

"I think that's them," Viktor said. He continued to feel at unease and meek, and was sure that being here was causing it somehow. "But, well, talking about all this is disconcerting. It's easier just to do it all, you know?"

"I suppose," Kelly said positively and confidently, now looking at him. "Improvising has worked so far. We'll find a way for all this. Lots of people are backing us, Multiverse and here. We're all in this together. You, me, everyone!"

"Yeah. You're right," Viktor agreed, feeling uplifted. Kelly and Ashley's presences were reminding him of what was at stake, what he secretly feared to lose. They, Devin, and Makoto had been more casual friends before their initial trip to Ravnica, but since then be began to feel differently toward them; like they were family, important people whose possible deaths chilled him. "Thanks, Kelly, I was actually starting to feel down about the whole thing, even though…"

"Even though we got Devin's creature?" Kelly smiled; that lifted Viktor's mood a little more. "It _has _been stressful and all. I've been managing okay, and Ashley's gotten over my close call during that time."

It made sense that Kelly wouldn't want to say "during the time I was nearly killed by Beta," but the mention of that event reminded Viktor again of what he felt dutied to do: protect the others. And Kelly, in particular, was the one Viktor looked up to most. Her firm confidence and unwavering endurance was something he had grown to admire over time. Viktor then realized how closely she was sitting next to him, and her proximity made him nervous but motivated at the same time.

Viktor could hear Ashley and Gerbie clanging pots and pans and talking to each other in the now lighted kitchen but he tuned that out. He tried to say something, yet his throat seemed dry and he simply fell silent and nodded instead, his hand starting to drift closer to Kelly's own. In the relative privacy of the Logans' apartment room at evening, intimacy seemed to play a larger role in his visit, and he felt his shyness retreating.

"I have to be honest with you, Viktor," Kelly told him, appearing warmer herself, "What we've been going through has been tough, and we've handled it pretty well so far, considering we're just kids from Earth and not born of magic or anything. But really, you're really inspiring and motivational, Viktor, at least for me. You and your grandfather both. I really am glad we can do this with you, even though it's not exactly an exotic vacation or anything."

"Oh, uh, I'm honored," Viktor answered awkwardly, feeling surprised but pleased that she felt the same way toward him that he felt toward her. "I actually felt the same way about you, Kelly. I can't imagine being with anyone else." Losing all of his shyness, Viktor started to lightly grasp Kelly's hand in his own, and she squeezed back.

"Well, that's sweet," Kelly glowed. "But there are the others around, too."

"Right," Viktor agreed, his heart beating faster. "It's just that… I like being around you most of all."

"And I like you very much too," Kelly responded, starting to lean closer to him and close her eyes. "Did I ever tell you that?"

"Um, no, actually," Viktor told her gently, lifting her chin with two fingers.

"Well, now you know," Kelly said softly, and both her and Viktor's lips were now only an inch apart —

"We've done it!" Ashley exclaimed loudly and excitedly, emerging from the kitchen, with a steaming, bizarre-looking concoction in a pot and Gerbie on her shoulder. "Look!"

Naturally, Viktor and Kelly jolted apart, feeling the veil of privacy pierced. Viktor felt his heart pounding, but no ill feelings toward the twosome who shattered their moment. He and Kelly turned to witness what the younger sister and the talking gerbil had made.

"A meal fit for a guild leader," Gerbie stated proudly. Viktor almost laughed when he saw that he had a gerbil-sized white chef's hat on from where, Viktor couldn't guess. He leaped down and onto Ashley's arm, coming close to the "food" that was in the pot. "We've got chicken chunks, mustard, garlic, red peppers, water, salt, and cat food for exotic flavor all in here."

"You've got _what_?" Kelly exclaimed.

"Being exotic is what makes for good cooking," Gerbie insisted. "I learned that from a wandering Gruul chef a while back in my home Plane. You wouldn't believe the recipes he taught me. Anyway, want a sample? Anyone?"

"I, uh, need to be getting back," Viktor assured with hurried politeness as Ashley and Gerbie moved closer and offered the pot and a large spoon. "Sorry. I gotta run. It's late." He got up and threw his jacket on, allowing Kelly to unlock the door for him, letting in cold night air.

"Well, then you try it!" Gerbie asked of Kelly, offering the spoon to her. "Come on!"

"Um, I think, well…" was all Kelly could manage as she gave Viktor a small wave goodbye as he departed for his car and drove off. It was just another day, or rather, night, in the Logan household, after all.


	14. Chapter 14

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 14

By Louis Kemner 2008

_When the time is right, and I have gathered the power I will require, _Epsilon thought as he strode swiftly down Ravnica's crowded and bustling streets, _Alpha, and Elena too, will be dead, and I will lead a righteous conquest of my own!_

Hundreds of pedestrians, ranging from humans, vedalken, elves to large beasts of burden laden with trade goods packed the streets and alleyways wherever Epsilon went or could see. Among them were signs of the endless ten-way guild war, with Boros knights in crimson and silver armor, Golgari necromancers, Rakdos thugs, and Orzhov recruiters here and there in the swarm of citizens. Various shops and businesses lined the street, including anti-spirit charms, authentic dragon teeth of old, Simic-engineered pets ("Get your glow-in-the-dark rabbits today!") and fortunetellers were present as well. Even with this endless array of city life, Epsilon tuned it all out as he made his way to his goals.

It wasn't long before a large Gruul territory came into view, with barbarians, beasts, and Viashino all milling about, playing crude gambling games, boasting about their kills in gruff tones, or napping. Epsilon was greeted by suspicion and affront, causing dozens of Gruul warriors to rise quickly and brandish their assorted weapons at him. Epsilon, however, was not deterred; he dismissed the aroused warriors with a wave of his hand, and walked on until he was face-to-face with the leader of the Burning-Tree clan, Borborygmos the Cyclops himself.

"Who is this puny morsel?" Borborygmos demanded loudly to his poised troops. "Did I tell you worthless runts that strangers could waltz in here whenever they want? _Well?" _The Gruul troops merely winced and looked nervously at each other, at a loss for words. They were afraid to actually attack the newcomer, for good reason. Their instincts bode them well.

"I am no threat to you, great one," Epsilon bowed. "I come merely as an envoy of my own."

"Meaning what?" Borborygmos huffed, turning over his massive stone ax in his meaty hands.

"It means I'm here to help you, and your entire clan and guild," Epsilon informed him. "You and the Rakdos guild have been sparring for control over this quarter of the city, haven't you?"

"Heh. You're right about that," Borborygmos confirmed with a nod, his single eye fixed hungrily on Epsilon. "We're ten times as great as those sadistic party-demons, and have been trying to _impress _that on everyone. Problem is, the Boros and Azorius have been making sure we don't get too far, or the Rakdos. Damn them!"

"I have a solution to offer," Epsilon said in convincing tones, standing tall and imposing, even though he was barely eye level with the Cyclops' knees. "The Azorius guild has been feeling pressure for some time now to hold down these hostilities, and others too. I can arrange events so your own clan and the Rakdos may take down the Azorius for good! I can create turmoil elsewhere to get their attention, and you and the Rakdos can storm Prahv itself in a joint assault and crush Grand Arbiter Augustine IV's skull under your mighty ax!"

Borborygmos gave a deep, animalistic chuckle, his mighty chest heaving. "I like your thinking, tiny one," he praised. "Just when I thought we were doomed to only dream of that. How do I know of your skills to carry this out, though? Prove yourself to me that you're not just words."

"I can do that," Epsilon agreed. Though the matters he had proposed relied on intelligence and manipulation rather than combat ability, he knew that only impressive fighting skills would gain him Borborygmos' favor. At the Cyclops' command, a number of Viashino and human berserkers parted from the crowd, eager to rip apart the robed newcomer, who appeared as helpless as an old, studious scholar.

"Well. Let the test begin!" Borborygmos shouted, thudding his ax into the dirt.

Ten Gruul warriors leapt as one toward the encircled defender; four strokes of an ivory sword later, four were dead or wounded, and Epsilon tumbled gracefully out of harm's way. He had one knee on the dirt and the other foot planted on the ground in a sturdy stance, his sword held defensively. The surprised Gruul warriors charged again in a furious attack, and Epsilon cut off the hand of one, kicked the jaw of another, and stabbed a third. The Gruul warriors were visibly taken aback by Epsilon's graceful and deadly capabilities; it wasn't long before the survivors were groveling for their lives, begging to have their lives spared, which Epsilon consented by sheathing his sword.

"Ah ha! Ah ha ha ha ha!" Borborygmos boomed in laughter, taking a few earth-shuddering steps closer, grinning fiercely from ear to ear. "Wouldn't you know it! The little robed man is a deadly warrior at least. You have my respect, you do. Why don't you finish them off?"

"They are my enemies no more," Epsilon said, looking down at the submissive Gruul. "I don't kill the innocent."

"Interesting," Borborygmos commented. "Yes, I agree to your little arrangement. You say that you can arrange a joint assault on the Azorius stronghold with the Rakdos? Consider it done! I look forward to it. I demand your name, notable one."

"Call me the Outsider," the rogue Hunter told the Cyclops firmly. "Now, I must depart. Farewell, great leader."

"I'll see you with the Arbiter's head in my pocket and his blood on my lips!" Borborygmos called back as Epsilon walked away, with the other Gruul warriors and mages bowing in respect. Epsilon's fingers ran over the cool, broken emerald on his forehead, taking in the deep crack that split it in half height-wise. His allegiance to the foul Elena was shattered, and his own righteous ambitions would eclipse her wretched and withering dominance assertions soon enough, not to mention claim the Key Creature here to become stronger. He would make sure of all that.

"I hope your parents aren't still throwing a fit about this whole thing," Viktor said lightly to Devin as he and the other met with Kelly and Ashley in his room four days later. "You know."

"They're cool with it now," Devin assured him, taking Ryusei's card out of his pocket. "Finally. Whew, my parents wouldn't shut up about 'don't risk your life over this' or losing my job or flunking college. I mean, what's college and work when you have the whole Multiverse at stake?"

"Devin, you're such a delinquent," Ashley joked, and the other laughed.

"I'm so terrible," Devin said humorously as the four started to touch their cards together, including Georgi's to make the number five. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"To Ravnica," Kelly answered simply. "Remember Ajani meeting us before we left Bant? He warned us of a new development, and a sighting of my Key Creature."

"I thought they couldn't Planeswalk there," Devin frowned.

"Ajani said that he overheard two Hunters conversing at some point about it," Kelly said. "He didn't catch anything besides that, but we can be sure that we won't be the only ones after it."

"Let's get number three, then," Viktor said, and the familiar portal blossomed into being.

Seconds later, the four had their ears assaulted by the noisy clamor of a busy morning street's crowds in Ravnica, with its imposing skyscrapers and countless churches, offices, and apartments. It was almost exactly as they had remembered it.

"Whoa. Last time we were here, we were totally clueless," Devin noted, looking all around. "Remember that? When we joined the Selesnya and I went to the Orzhov and fought you and stuff?"

"How can you take this so lightly?" Kelly snapped, encouraging the group to press onward, narrowly avoiding a Boros giant holding a wooden club and walking a massive dog on a leather leash. "You know how high the stakes are. There are the Hunters around, and maybe Elena herself. She's not exactly shy."

"Whatever," Devin shrugged, following her lead. The foursome found little of interest, until they reached the market division with all the shops around. One shop caught Viktor's attention, and he halted the group, standing before a particular and familiar vendor.

"Get your Simic-created pets today!" the Vedalken vendor called into the crowds. "We've got everything from horned parrots to glow-in-the-dark rabbits to talking —"

"Let me take a look," Viktor cut in, leaning slightly over the large basket of gerbils. The assorted animals gamboled around or napped, or else groomed themselves. After scanning their ranks, Viktor reached out and scooped up a smaller gerbil with tan fur and white patches and white paws.

"Hey. Um, what's up?" the gerbil greeted in a lazy tone, its eyes half-closed in disinterest in its surroundings. His voice was more like an ordinary teenage male's.

"That's how you talk?" Viktor asked it. "You're nothing like Gerbie. I thought they all would be like him."

"Gerbie? Who's that?" the gerbil asked, looking around. "Dunno who you're talking about."

"That would be me," the other gerbil exclaimed proudly, emerging from Ashley's pocket. By a verbal request, Ashley held Gerbie in her hands and held him eye level with Viktor's gerbil. "Greetings and salutations, fellow bio-vat mate. I am Gerbie, or else the greatest Simic creation of all. Remember that!"

"Uh, sure. Whatever, dude," the other gerbil shrugged. He looked back at Viktor, an intense gaze on his beady black eyes, ignoring Gerbie's looks of affront. "You gonna name me?"

"Oh. That's right. The pets are named by their owner," Viktor realized out loud. He asked Ashley to summon her money-creating creature, and handed the vendor some gold coins to seal the transaction. Then, he pondered a name for his gerbil.

"I don't think I should name you after a guild leader," Viktor said. "That would be silly, wouldn't it?"

"Um, yeah. The wisdom of the enigmatic sphinxes should not be doubted, even by those of greater learning," the gerbil answered. Viktor blinked at the random statement, and then his mind clicked. The gerbil's smaller size, beady stare, and random sentences were reminding him of someone.

"All right," Viktor proclaimed. "I henceforth name you Ike."

"Sure. That's cool," Ike shrugged again. "So are we gonna hang somewhere or should I grab a nap?"

"We're going to do a bit of exploring first," Viktor told Ike, now transferring him into his jacket pocket. "You can 'hang' in there."

"Cool. Later," Ike said, then instantly fell asleep.

"Wait a second," Devin said to Viktor, hurrying to catch up with the other as the four set off again. "Where did you get the name Ike?"

"From TV," Viktor answered. "This reminds me of that other one."

"You mean the Ike from South P —" Devin started, when Kelly interrupted, "Look!"

Ahead was a single Golgari agent, clad in tattered black robes splotched with thick green moss. He appeared to be orating before the crowds, standing on a pedestal, drawing attention. Not wanting to miss any clues, the four kids hurried to join the throng and hear the orator's words.

"…The natural undercurrents of our concrete and stone metropolis can be ignored, can be dismissed, but never denied," the orator was saying. "The weaker and more inefficient ones will always die and benefit the fitter ones, allowing the life cycle to carry on and sustain the order. For the Azorius guild has been met a terrible blow, good citizens! The Gruul and Rakdos guilds have finally recognized common ground and assaulted their mutual foe, leaving wreckage and death in their wake! Now the two guilds compete openly for supremacy, and even our Golgari guild is taking part in this climatic chain of events! Life and death go hand in hand, every day and everywhere, from mushrooms leeching nutrients from corpses to guilds destroying each other and benefiting from it. Thus our Golgari Swarm is righteous, thus…"

"I didn't expect anything like this to happen," Devin commented, listening to the Golgari guildsman rail on. "Two guilds ganging up and beating another?"

"It doesn't sound that strange, but it's still probably influenced by the Planeswalker war," Kelly said. "I don't really know that, but still… I get that feeling."

"I thought Planeswalkers couldn't go here," Devin pointed out.

"They can't," Ashley put in. "But so far, seemingly ordinary things have led to Elena getting something out of it, often because she causes the events to happen. Like Grellis meeting us in Lorwyn and having us save the Kithkin women from the giant slavers. That doesn't seem to strange, but you know what happened afterward."

"That sounds about right," Viktor agreed. "This is definitely fishy. I bet a Key Creature's involved. We should check it out."

"Further, another guild seeks to make sense of this drama," the Golgari orator shouted. "The Simic Combine, for one, senses wicked or enigmatic undercurrents under this event, and is after a solution to what is really at work. Of course, the Rakdos and Gruul insist this is their inner nature asserting itself over order and nothing more, but there are those who object. It is natural and right to question and speculate, but to what end?"

Viktor blinked. "And that's where we start," he grinned. "Hear that?"

"Yes! Yes!" Gerbie hooted, coming out once more. "Let's go! It's a clue, it's a clue! Come on!"

Not wanting to dampen the gerbil's enthusiasm, the four departed for Novijen, Heart of Progress.

"Oh, a terrible tragedy this is," the Azorius guard captain moaned, leading Epsilon through the wrecked halls of Prahv, the main building of the Azorius. "Long have we sought to maintain order and the law, only to be fallen by the wretched Gruul and Rakdos. You have our humblest thanks, Epsilon, for doing your best, as an outsider, to protect us from those monsters."

"I, too, wished to see your guild triumph," Epsilon replied, as he and the guard captain were led to the massive, beautiful, and church-like room that was Grand Arbiter Augustine IV's throne room. The room was in tatters; some pillars fallen, the floor with craters and scars, the walls cracked, and dried blood from countless bodies. Dust still covered some portions of the room. At least the throne o the Arbiter was still standing, imposing and undamaged, as well as the surrounding area. It could almost be considered a symbol of a lone piece of order and law surrounded by the chaos and clamor of the unending city around it.

"And here is the throne where our beloved Arbiter sat for decades," the guard captain said, coming closer to the throne. "We wish to place a new Grand Arbiter here very soon, to prevent the total destruction of the Azorius Senate. A few candidates have stepped forward, though none seem too promising so far."

"Then perhaps," Epsilon suggested, "you add me to the ranks of the potential successors? I have a number of followers and several leads on the mysterious demon beast lurking in the city." _That Key Creature will be easier to catch if I have the entire Azorius Senate under my command, _Epsilon added in his head_. Better I find it than that foul Elena or Alpha, or even Delta or Beta._

"That's… not a bad idea," the guard captain agreed, his features lightening somewhat. "If you wish, I could arrange to include you in the election and educate you in the ways of our guild. Is that agreeable?"

"What I would find agreeable," Epsilon said, his ivory sword point resting against the guard captain's throat, "is a unanimous vote in my favor. Doesn't that sound better?"

"I… well…" the guard captain gulped, trembling against the cold sword point threatening to take his life. "That is… you would dare threaten me?"

"I hate to take the life of innocents," Epsilon stated, not lowering the sword and checking that no one else was present. "You're not innocent, captain, but valuable. Please make this easy." He summoned a single plant, and upon his command, it launched an infection spore. That spore drifted in the air and planted itself in the guard captain's head, undetectable. "If you object or tell anyone of this, that spore will spread a poison in your body and take your life upon my command. No remedy in Ravnica could save you."

"V-very well," the guard captain stuttered, drawing himself to full height. "I can sway the vote officials and assure you victory. Just p-please… lower you blade."

Epsilon consented, sheathing it silently. "Thank you very much."

"Try not to drag your feet like a dioxy-membraned worm-slug! Why do you think we pay you?!" the overseer shouted. Dozens of biomancers jumped and hastened to work faster, adjusting feeding tube valves, keeping groups of test subjects in their pens, and other menial tasks. "Come on, now, the Boss wouldn't approve of this slow work! Do it like you mean it! You there! Elgar! Don't you dare touch that mist-pod again unless you want to get thrown into the Rakdos slave pits! Jeez!"

The overseer, a gray-green skinned vedalken with a scarred right eye, whipped around, clutching his knobby, pulsating staff and took in a quartet of newcomers making their way to the entrance gates of Novijen, Heart of Progress, and frowned.

"Well, what do we have here?" he asked out loud. His voice was rapid, demanding, and impatient. "Four new young'uns for the self-replicating mouse business downstairs? What do you tykes want? Let's hear it already!"

"We offer our services in a different way!" Viktor shouted to him over the countless noises of the room; dozens of bizarre animals, plants, and other living things made a wide array of noises, as well as sizzling vats of acid and organic ooze, and the calls and shouts of the Combine workers. The overseer scratched his head.

"And what do you mean by that?" he demanded. "You don't look like any kind of mercenaries or mages _I've _ever seen. And believe me, I've seen them in every shape and form!"

"It concerns the fall of the Azorius!" Kelly told him. "Please let us speak to Momir Vig about this. He will find us worth his time."

"And what do you think you're looking at, eh?" the overseer roared to a curious young biomancer who was craning his neck and ears to eavesdrop. "Turn away or you're our next test subject for the Memory Ooze!" to the kids: "Oh, fine, come in. You just may be more than you look like, I suppose." The overseer squeezed a membrane pod at the tip of his staff, and the massive, mossy iron gates swung open, admitting the four.

In a massive room, with a wide, oval vat of mysterious substances in the middle, Momir Vig leaned slightly over the oval vat, gripping the edges with his hands. The Vedalken's intense eyes were fixed directly on the vat, probably with countless wise, enigmatic thoughts whirring in his mind. The overseer stepped forward and said, "Boss, four children have arrived seeking your service."

Momir Vig took a few seconds, and then slowly raised his head until his black eyes were now burning holes through Viktor and the others. "I see. Well, overseer, you may return to your duties. I can handle it from here."

The overseer bowed and dashed from the room. Not a second after he left, Gerbie burst out of Ashley's jacket pocket and shot through the air like a brown rocket into Momir Vig's hands, squealing his delight to meet his idolized guild master.

"Master Vig! Boss! It's really you! I am awash with your holy presence!" Gerbie exclaimed.

"Well, what's this?" Momir asked, studying the gerbil in his hands. "It looks like the Companion Pets gerbil line, fourth edition with increased metabolism and created with the latest brain-flesh capsules that now have fewer harmful leaks. Though the Undulator acids were a bit unbalanced for your model."

"I am your prime creation," Gerbie said proudly. "Even the Undulator acid leaks couldn't disrupt the pyruva tendrils from bonding with the bone hardener supplement or throw off the chemical formula fresh out of the basement. Though maybe the Giga Bases and memoratic waves would have helped."

"The memoratic waves were tossed, in favor of rapidly spinning the Stage 1 vials to prevent settling at the bottom and initializing equilibrium between the amino groups and the Giga Base reactions," Momir Vig responded. "Though it may be a good idea to bring back the memoratic waves for the Telepathic Octopus I've been making on the side. They agree well with the brain implants that…"

"Beg pardon," Viktor called to interrupt. "We're here for business."

"I am sorry, newcomers," Momir Vig apologized formally, letting go of Gerbie, who scampered back to Ashley. Ike managed to wake up, take a look around, and say, "Nice. I'm back," before returning to sleep.

"Another talking gerbil, I see?" Momir Vig commented. "Perhaps the market for them is greater than I thought. But that is for another time. Why do you four come to my guild hall?"

"We're after something," Viktor began. "It's rather delicate information —"

"All information is the same to me," Momir dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Are you referring to the 'black demon' that has been haunting the back alleys and terrifying the average citizen?"

"That's it," Viktor agreed. "We are trying to capture it before someone else does. If it falls in the other party's hands, it will help bring about the ruin of all of Ravnica and more."

"Really," Momir said, rubbing his chin, while his eyes glittered. "And who is this other party that will bring about this city's doom, as you say?"

"A super-powerful sorceress," Viktor told him, "By the name Elena. She comes from lands beyond, spreading terror and destruction wherever she goes. There were four loose, powerful creatures out. We've gotten two, and this is the third. There are mighty beings called Hunters searching for the creatures, like us, who serve Elena. There are probably Hunters here, too."

"I know that unusual and ground-breaking events have taken place recently," Momir said after a moment, "And they may tie in to what you say. Nothing like this happens by fate's whims, children. The Gruul-Rakdos assault on the Azorius was most disturbing. And my spy agents already report a prominent new figure in the Azorius halls, seeking to rebuild the crippled guild. Most interesting."

"So what are we going to do?" Devin asked.

"Don't rush me!" Momir snapped. "Well, first, you will all become Combine Mages and answer directly to me. Don't worry, I won't permit you to be used as experiment subjects! Prove yourselves worthy, and you will aid us break this unnatural chain before it gets too long. It's easier to kill an infant monster than a full-grown, now isn't it?"

"…Join the Simic?" Devin repeated. "Bad stuff kind of happened last time we joined a guild."

"We've got no choice, dude," Viktor told him, shrugging. "It'll be pretty hard to do this without the Simic's help. We know the signs of Elena's influence and warping by now. We can handle it."

Devin, Ashley, and Kelly all nodded their agreement, sealing the deal. Once Momir Vig sent them to an orientation and garbed them in comfortable green and blue robes, they were set to work.

"Okay… so what's this?" Devin asked in cautious disgust, staring at a wide tray of red-glowing maggots six inches long each an hour later.

"Feeding time. Ever hear of it?" Momir Vig explained in a well-duh tone, rubbing his hands together. "That Psycho-Cephalopod-Inverter Version III isn't going to feed itself. Hop to it, mages!"

"Yeah. I can't really tell this thing has heard the dinner bell," Viktor said, eyeing the massive beast they were going to feed. In the middle of a chamber half-full of swampy water, there was a squid-kraken like creature big as a house, with ten long tentacles that were each held up by a thick gold chain. The beast had gray-green skin with blue specks and eyes as big as a car tire, currently half-closed and dull. The Psycho-Cephalopod, as Momir Vig called it, gave a quiet grunt and shifted slightly, making its chains rattle a little.

"Nonsense. It merely needs a prodding," Momir Vig said. "It hates to eat without encouragement. Just get the neuro-shock cables going and you're set. What are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for the dang thing to get its appetite up," Devin complained. The apathetic creature didn't seem very hungry. "Where is its mouth, anyway?"

"Allow me to assist," Momir Vig stepped in. "Be grateful you get personal help from me, children; I have many duties at all times, all of them being more important than helping demonstrate how to feed the Psycho-Cephalopod. Watch."

With that, and with Gerbie's unwavering attention, Momir Vig pushed up on a lever on a table, and then wavy lances of blue lightning flowed down several thin silver wires connected to the squid-kraken's back. The beast shuddered and squirmed, and then it flared up and revealed a circular, fleshy mouth with rings of hundreds of sharp teeth.

"Now! Toss the maggots!" Momir Vig shouted over the beast's indignant roars. Viktor scrambled to grab a handful of giant red maggots and pulled his arm back, hoping to get them all in the squid-kraken's mouth. However, he and the others were too slow, and the squid-kraken lowered its body and hid its mouth once more. Viktor felt disappointed at failure, then felt his right hand tingle and itch with a thousand needles, then go limp and drop the red maggots back onto the tray.

"Fools!" Momir Vig cursed, waving his arms in exasperation. "Why did you hesitate? Why did you take so long? Those maggots' special body fluids in their skin cause numbness if you hold them for too long. And the Psycho-Cephalopod isn't going to stay up for long. Try again!"

This time, Viktor pulled the lever on the dashboard, and the squid-kraken again squirmed and revealed its horrendous mouth. Viktor quickly seized a few maggots and hurled them with everyone else's; over a dozen of the little red creatures flew into the squid-kraken's reluctant maw, and the mouth slammed closed on them and swallowed.

"Was that better?" Kelly called over to Momir Vig.

"You did it right that time," Momir Vig praised. "Good. Keep it up. The inversion is impossible without this food source."

As he worked, Viktor had to satisfy his curiosity with Momir. As he tossed another volley of red glowing maggots into the creature's maw, he asked, "Why is this called the Psycho-Cephalopod Inverter?"

"Version III," Momir Vig added. "It's our only one so we value it very much. It has strong psychic and area-scanning abilities, acting as our entire intelligence bureau by itself. However, it is, by nature, incredibly stupid. It basically eats, sleeps, and defecates. Any being requires massive intelligence to even have basic psychic abilities, far more than this creature does."

"Then how the hell does this thing do it, then?" Devin asked as he took a turn pulling the lever.

"If we use a creature with intelligence low enough and feed it these special maggots," Momir Vig explained, "We can use inverting chemistry to get the psychic powers. These maggots are very good for the body but make the consumer lose intelligence and become beast-like. This creature is already tiny-brained, so we lower its intelligence so much that chemical reactions happen just right to pass a special barrier and start making it smarter, at least in some areas of its brain. The brain is the size of my fist but is super-powerful."

"Is that like reverse psychology?" Ashley asked.

"That's an incredibly primitive and simple way of putting it, but yes," Momir Vig said. Viktor just concentrated from keeping his head spinning by contemplating the implications.

Deep, blue water rushed loudly over the edge of the waterfall, descending thousands of feet toward the water below, creating mists and continuous noise. Keiga, the Tide Star floated in the water before the falls, using his flipper-like sides to roam back and forth in the water in lookout for intruders. Inside Minamo Academy, important events played out.

One flash of blue light later and the blue-black robed Alpha appeared in the headmaster's chambers, giving a small bow at the waist to his lady who sat on the overthrown headmaster's chair. "My progress in Dominaria has already been set into motion, My Lady," he reported. "I have incited widespread witch hunts in the major city in Oneah, and has progressed enough that I may leave the Oneans to corrupt themselves."

"I see! Good work," Elena praised, sitting a little straighter. Beside her sat Makoto cross-legged on the wooden floor, unbound. He could easily get up and attempt to run away, yet he knew it was useless; all of his cards had been taken and kept in a locked treasure box, hidden where only Elena knew where it was. "Then the Enslavement of Oneah is coming very soon, once the terrors have spread far enough."

"Right," Alpha said, looking at Makoto and Delta. "I have more grim news, however. Epsilon has expressed his dissent and declared his allegiance to you severed. I attempted and failed to destroy him. He escaped to an unknown location."

"Yes, I'm aware of what he did," Elena said, gripping the chair's arms tightly. "I can detect loyalty loss, Alpha. The fool doesn't know what he's doing. What will he accomplish by himself? The last two creatures will be mine and not his, or the children's. Especially since I have one here, who will help me claim his creature."

"As if I'd do that," Makoto said defiantly. "Even if I die, I'm not helping you conquer everyone. No way."

Delta looked down at Makoto and grinned. "Pretty sharp, huh?" he commented.

"He won't be like that for too long," Elena assured Delta and Alpha. Then she raised her voice: "Beta!"

The red and black Hunter tromped into the room and asked what was required of him.

"It is time we make up for our losses," Elena said, getting up and taking a few steps forward. She raised her right arm, and it began to shift and contort like all the muscles gained wills of their own.

"What is this?" Delta asked. "What is wrong with your arm?"

"Be silent and watch," Elena told him. Her arm continued to writhe, and now began to inflate and grow thicker and bigger, losing its texture and becoming a mass of molten flesh. As soon as it was nearly as big as Elena's body, she ejected the twisted mass, and it thunked to the ground and morphed even more. The mass began to split apart into several large pieces, and even those broke up into more chunks. The individual parts hardened and attained a shiny surface, and lost all fleshy fluid and softness. The parts raised themselves and began to swirl like a slow whirlpool, going faster even as a core of pale green energy formed, crackling and spitting. Finally, all the pieces became hard metal of all shapes and sizes swirled around the core, with a single head-like piece near the front. The head piece had two glowing blue slit eyes and a green emerald on the forehead, just like the other Hunters.

"This is our newest brother," Elena announced, walking toward the metallic mass. Her right arm had regrown and she raised her left one to touch the new Hunter on the forehead with her left index finger, tracing the cold metal with her long nail. "This… is Kappa."

"Thank you for the name, My Lady," Kappa responded in a hard and mechanical voice. He had no visible mouth. "Thus I have identity."

"Now, what can you do?" Elena asked him. As answer, Kappa's many parts moved all about; not in the swirl, but in different places, like pieces of a puzzle flying together to make the final result. The pieces assembled themselves by Kappa's will, resulting in a bipedal body. The head sat atop a somewhat long, animalistic neck, with wide, large shoulders and claw-like hands and feet like a reptile's. A long tail ending with a curving, crescent-moon shaped blade swung back and forth. Kappa moved his limbs all about, testing his body. "I am many in one, my Lady, able to assume an infinite array of forms. This is but one."

"So, you're a shapeshifter?" Beta said. "Useful."

"Yes, he is most delightful," Elena agreed with a smile, stepping back and telling Kappa, "Why don't you and Beta become partners and find out where Epsilon ran off to? I'd much rather not have a powerful opponent like him running around. Who knows what mischief he could get to? Oh, and he probably went chasing after a Key Creature, too. If you find it, capture it and send it to me before Epsilon gets it. Do you understand?"

"We do," Beta and Kappa confirmed, then vanished two flashes; one red, the other silver.


	15. Chapter 15

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 15

By Louis Kemner 2008

"Hey, I didn't know Ravnica had newspapers," Devin exclaimed, catching sight of the folded paper lying on the floor of the Simic Combine's bio-engineering sub-levels. Several days had passed since he, Viktor, Ashley, and Kelly had joined the guild in attempt to get closer to the supposed Hunter here and Kelly's Key Creature. It was likely that the Azorius, Rakdos, and Gruul guilds were connected to the Hunter and Creature, and the Simic and an interest in this matter as well. Viktor and the others had contributed a great deal of work to the Simic, scouting for test subjects, buying chemicals and equipment from shops and Orzhov deal-makers, and helping defend the Simic's turf from intruding guilds. They had finally caught a few minutes of rest from the overseer's and Momir Vig's constant demands.

"It makes sense," Kelly said as Devin picked up the paper and rifled it open. "Orators can't handle everything."

"Yeah, whatever," Devin said airily, and then caught sight of the cover story. "Hey! Look at this!" The other three crowded around him to read the article.

**AZORIUS BOUNCING BACK**

In a stunning move five days ago, the Gruul and Rakdos guilds made an unexpected pact to launch a joint assault on the Azorius guild hall, Prahv. The ensuing battle was a titanic one, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives and the near destruction of the Azorius guild in the area. Tragically, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV lost his life in the attack.

"It's so terrible," Waren Lightheart, the Azorius guard captain, told interviewers. "We exist to uphold law and order for the better of our city, and this is the thanks we get. Many supporters of the attacking guilds cheered on the attack and called for the complete downfall of our Azorius guild."

Many citizens indeed rallied to the joint assault, apparently pleased at the loss of the rigid law protection the guild provided. Without their power, the Rakdos and Gruul have naturally ceased to get along, and now wage unrestricted warfare in the area, to no determinable end.

There is hope, however. The Azorius guild is on the road to complete recovery, and citizens supporting the guild have offered drastic funds and volunteer work to bolster the faltering guild, even signing up in record numbers. Already, several battalions of Azorius troops have been restored, and the griffin squads are in similar incline.

"It's time to show them what it means to mess with the law," one proud recruited knight said. "The Rakdos and Gruul won't get away with this."

Further good news come from a new figure of leadership; after surprisingly short debates and elections, the guild is united under new leadership in these difficult times: Grand Arbiter Epsilon I.

"I promise a good portion of the history books for our rightful guild," Grand Arbiter Epsilon said in a public speech two days ago. "I hope that one day, every square inch of Ravnica will prosper under the Azorius banner of glorious blue ands white. I promise full retribution to the guilty guilds!"

Some have taken a more neutral stance on these events.

"There is more to this than meets the eye," Simic leader Momir Vig told us. "Believe me, citizens. Keep your eyes and ears open and take everything with a grain of salt. Something unnatural is at work."

Whatever the merit of this chain of events, it is certain that these events will have a drastic effect on our city for months or even years to come.

(For more information, turn to page B-6. For updated Orzhov stock exchange rates, go to page C-6. For Boros recruitment information, go to page D-4.)

"This is everything," Viktor commented once he finished reading the article. "The whole thing right here. Did you see that? 'Grand Arbiter Epsilon I'? Elena's influence is here for sure. We've got to do something."

"Pretty drastic," Kelly agreed as Devin closed the newspaper and tossed it to the floor. "And pick that back up! We've got to show this to Momir Vig." Devin gave a look and picked the paper back up.

"This?" Momir Vig said as he studied the newspaper in his office with a bizarre monocle on his left eye as he squinted through it to study the lead story. "Paper's made of synthesized Ghostbark wood pulp treated with 56 milligrams of necto-filaments prepared in —"

"Not the paper itself, the story!" Viktor said in exasperation, waving his arms. "Isn't it important news? We have to take action!"

"Silence, boy!" Momir Vig snapped viciously, folding the paper and throwing it away. He took the monocle off so both black eyes stared at the four kids. "Do you think I don't know what happens in the city I alone control a tenth of? Of course I know everything possible to know about this. I've seen this coming! The unnatural events march on; the Azorius has never been anything like this before. I presumed you would have presumed that I knew about this story already and would be more interested in the physical paper itself. Do you think I'm a guild leader because I have a bunch of money?"

"Sorry, sir," Viktor said meekly.

"He gives his full regrets to his misguided words and humbly begs your forgive—" Gerbie started, poking out of Ashley's Simic mage robes and pouncing onto Momir Vig's desk, before Viktor seized him and gave him a look.

"Don't be dissing my owner, man," Ike said with slightly more bravado than usual.

"Do you want to fight me too?" Gerbie demanded back, glaring at the other gerbil.

"No one's fighting anyone," Ashley insisted, reaching out and taking Gerbie back into her pocket. "Come on. What is going to happen, sir?"

"You have my permission to initiate an operation of your own," Momir Vig told the four. "The Azorius' borders and bravado is extending daily, faster than the Mindrot Node Molds downstairs. This cannot be allowed to go on any longer. I want the four of you to infiltrate the Azorius' territory and get to the bottom of this at once. I will provide you with any items or enchantments you ask for. In addition, I will have a battalion of my troops and forces stationed to greet action at any point. I don't fully trust delicate matters to children."

"Thank you, sir," Devin said.

"He gives his full gratitude for your selfless and honorable contribution to our greater cause —" Gerbie started again, re-emerging from Ashley's pocket, before Devin seized him and threw him into a large and soft potted plant. Ashley gave a cry, Momir Vig sighed, Viktor grinned, and Ike fell out of Viktor's pocket in laughter.

The cool air far above Ravnica's surface would have chilled any person down to the bone in a matter of hours, but Beta was not a normal person. He was over a thousand feet above the tallest spires, astride Kappa, who had assumed a shape that had four wings and a long tail for balance. The wings alternated flapping in pairs, making for an animated but very in-control flight. The jointed, assembled tail waved back and forth to maintain balance, and Kappa's head extended on a long neck to allow for a wide range of moving his head to see.

"How long has it been? Four, five days?" Beta asked his partner, talking over the sound of the whistling wind.

"Four days, twenty-two hours, eighteen minutes, and thirty-one seconds," Kappa answered flatly, not moving his head to talk; his voice could easily carry over the wind. "Your estimations are good."

"I would have expected results by this time," Beta said back, scratching his red and black tangle of long hair. It fluttered wildly in the wind, getting tangled now matter how many times he tried to straighten it. "Perhaps this quarter of the city isn't where the target is."

"Even a miniscule of the city can conceal Kuro, Pit Lord," Kappa responded. "Not one grain of this metropolis will be missed. We will search quickly and efficiently until our query is confirmed. It is demanded of us both."

"We can't afford to take too long, though," Beta reminded the shapeshifting Hunter. "Remember that both the children and Epsilon are after it, too, and letting either party beat us to it would be worse than simply not finding it. After all, Elena didn't really say _how _to find it, just to do it. Don't you agree?"

"Your logic is accepted," Kappa answered after a few seconds. "Well then. Please list the most likely search areas to attempt first."

Beta allowed himself a few seconds, then gave a list of places to look. "Start with where the interesting stuff is happening," he said at the end.

"That won't take long to find," Kappa confirmed. "New query acknowledged."

"I'm sorry, but this street is off-limits right now," the Azorius sentinel told the four kids as they stood at the border. Several thin gold and silver poles four feet tall were scattered about, with wavering white lines of mana between them to act as a kind of police yellow tape line. "Reconstruction is underway here. We have major Orzhov funding and Boros support for this project. You know how nasty the Gruul-Rakdos skirmishes have been, I bet."

It was true; for days the Gruul and Rakdos had been struggling bitterly over the territory wrenched from the Azorius. At first, citizen supporters of both guilds had rooted on the combat, but soon had begun to tire of and protest the meaningless fighting. Neither side could gain a particular advantage, and they succeeded in little other than wrecking the city and claiming the other side's lives in vain.

"There's something we're looking for here," Kelly told the sentinel. "It's important for Simic research for citizens' medicines. There's a rare species of plant that grows on battlefields and we need to find some. Civilian casualties of the skirmishes badly need —"

"I'm sorry, miss, but you simply can't go here, even on guild business," the Azorius sentinel said, shaking his head. "Besides, we found only a few of the plants you're talking about, and we harvested them for treating the disabled from the joint assault on Prahv. You'll have to take your business elsewhere."

Turning away from the kids, he gave orders to other Azorius workers who ran the reconstruction or were on armed patrol. Azorius First-Wings lazed around overhead like flies, on the watch for intruders or disorder, along with a few Boros volunteer Sky Knights. Defeated, the four turned away from the border and walked away.

"So what, that's it?" Devin complained. "We're not allowed in."

"Then we sneak in there," Ashley said. "Without them knowing."

"What if we're caught, though?" Devin objected.

"Come on, is that really important?" Kelly demanded, rolling her eyes. "You know that catching my Creature is more important than anything else right now. We'll do whatever it takes."

Once they had taken back alleys to get away from the main road and its Azorius troops, Ashley produced Veil of Secrecy out of her card stack. "Until end of turn, target creature can't be the target of spells of abilities and can't be blocked." This was cast four times, and Viktor felt the cold and soft Veil hovering around his body, making his own body difficult too see.

"Feels weird," he commented, also looking at his ghostly friends. Devin tested the Veils with Shock, and the bright lightning bolt crackled and fizzled against Viktor's Veil, leaving him unharmed. Satisfied that their cover was set, the four went back to the main road and passed the Azorius barriers.

"How big is the restricted area, anyway?" Devin wondered out loud. Thankfully, the Veil muted him to outsiders.

"At least this road, I think," Viktor answered, scanning the area for any clues. But I don't see any others down the road so it could be a lot more than that. Kuro will be pretty hard to miss, though, it's a big creature. Maybe Azorius troops will find it first and try to restrain it. That would make a big ruckus."

"Sure," Devin agreed.

"It's like hide and seek!" Gerbie noted happily, helping out by scrutinizing the terrain with his beady eyes.

"Lame," Ike countered, and everybody but he and Gerbie laughed.

"We've had mixed success overall, Grand Arbiter," Waren Lightheart, the Azorius Guard Captain, told Epsilon as the two of them walked down the main hall of the recently reconstructed and perfected Prahv. He consulted a scroll of information on it with the guild's stamp at the top in dark blue ink. "All battalions report rapid reconstruction in the main road, with relatively little interference. Senator Trigori tells me funding from the N-7 region has reached 4.56%, up an entire 0.33% from last month, and the Income officer is late with renewing his papers for the Treasury and may face problems within the next 2-3 weeks —"

"Why are you gabbing all this to me?" Epsilon snapped, brushing a lock of his long, blond hair out of his face as he brushed a piece of dirt off his exquisite Grand Arbiter robes. "I do not care about income business. You're the guard captain."

"I'm sorry, Arbiter," Waren apologized as two guild mages strode by them, talking in quiet tones. "It's just that some of the other reporters are over-burdened and can't report these news to you in a timely manner, so I took matters into my own hands."

"I appreciate it, but don't want it," Epsilon said. "I want more practical intelligence. What about that quarrel with the Selesnya the other day and their demands? What came of that?"

"They caved completely, Arbiter," Waren answered arrogantly with a grin. "They completely ceded that ground to us and promised to reinforce it in case of attack, and returned a few of our men from their prisoner holds. Those prisoners secretly have vital information they weren't able to leak to the Selesnya, even after interrogation of the Venom Vines."

"Make the Selesnya happy," Epsilon ordered simply.

"I beg your pardon, Arbiter?" Waren said uneasily.

"Do you think they won't hold a grudge behind our back over that?" Epsilon explained impatiently. "They made smaller cessions to the Golgari two days ago and were fuming; they made countless tiny acts of retaliation, impossible to trace to them officially. My growing guild won't be undermined by revenge. Do what you can to keep the Selesnya's heads cool and more on our side. They share a good amount with us, including a dislike for the Izzet League and the Rakdos. Do you understand me, guard captain?"

"Fully, Arbiter," Waren bowed. "Should I depart at once to carry out this task?"

"Go ahead," Epsilon said, waving his hand. "But before you go, have the Income officer sacked. Get me a new one."

"But I thought you didn't care about that matter," Waren said, confused.

"Just get the blithering idiot out of there," Epsilon said firmly. "And don't let this turn into a bureaucratic swamp, either. Just his face out the door, a better one in it. I will scout for possible replacements."

"I understand," Waren bowed again, then dashed off into a side corridor to begin the duties set out for him. Epsilon continued alone, his thoughts completing what he was only hinting at to Waren. His conquest would be far superior to Elena's wretched Enslavement, far superior. Why slaughter and terrorize your enemies when you can make them your pawns without them even them knowing or objecting? The hearts of the Selesnya and Boros would be easy to win over. He just had to provoke the Rakdos and Gruul into endless, pointless warfare, and make the Orzhov step up their shady business game. The guilds more difficult to conquer would have to be used first to make the easier ones under his control. Plus, the entire Azorius Senate was his to command! He was the law, even if not completely. All would have to obey the law. And about the new Income official and other empty offices… Epsilon would have to find a way to make _that _work. Those kinds would obey him completely. Epsilon himself was the exception to their kind of obedience, but that did not deter him. Just defining who "they" were in his mind reminded him of the wicked witch he was going to imitate, so the pronouns helped set his mind at ease. It would be done.

"There isn't much to see so far," Ashley had to admit an hour later, as the quartet pushed farther into the Azorius quarantine zone. It was even bigger than they thought it would be, stretching for countless blocks and including avenues, town squares, and parks. It was obvious that the Azorius were trying to do more than repair the city; out here, out of sight from the borders, there was no damage at all. Azorius and Boros troops scoured the area, apparently searching for something: the Key Creature, Kuro, Pitlord. Their effort was visible, along with their slight exasperations and doubts.

"Come on, it won't be in the open," Viktor said, encouraging the group to divert into the space between an Orzhov church and apartment complex. "It'll be skulking around in the dark. It's a black-colored creature, after all."

The near-empty back alleys disturbed Viktor slightly as he and the others wandered through them. The Azorius and Boros troops were not patrolling these alleys, so he expected bums and vicious Viashino beasts to lurk here, along with wraiths and Dimir secret agents. However, there was simply nothing, just litter being stirred by a light breeze.

"This is givin' me the creeps, you know," Ike complained a few minutes later. "Don't you agree that this place is a bit _too _empty?"

"I was thinking that," Kelly agreed, frowning. "I've been keeping my ear to the ground for a while, and when zones are quarantined like this the dark alleys are almost never scoured. This is peculiar at best. It's like something came along to wipe out all the inhabitants… wait…"

"Do you think it's —?" Viktor started.

"It has to be," Kelly said with realization. Just as she finished saying this, a scraping sound wafted into Viktor's ears, and he froze as a deep snort followed. Everyone else stopped, too, now hearing quiet but heavy footsteps from an unseen source, making Viktor's neck hairs prick up and tickle.

"Time to split," Ike said in a dreading voice.

"We can't run, we have to capture it," Kelly told him. "We've got the advantage. Neither Epsilon nor the Hunters are probably here. All we have to do is find and capture it!"

"Sure, capture a beast like that," Gerbie said sarcastically. "Let's just run back to Novijen and tremble under the covers of our quarters' beds."

"Don't be stupid. We're going," Viktor asserted, comforting Ike and pressing on. He was stopped as a single massive, black foot crashed down right in front of him, causing him to fall over and curse.

The foot was planted to the stone ground, supporting a thick, mottled leg. Further up was the torso, then the long arms and wicked, clawed hands, and the menacing head with glowing eyes and curving horns: Kuro, Pit Lord stood before them, at home in the dark, cramped quarters.

"This is it!" Kelly cried, abandoning her Veil of Secrecy and producing her empty card for Kuro. "Now I just —"

Kuro, however, was not agreeable. It gave a roar and slammed an open palm to the ground, causing a shuddering wave to spread in all directions and flooring the rest of the kids. In addition, a cloud of black mana wisped up from the impact, rotting and crumbling the ground. Kuro huffed and swept an arm, and only a last-minute Vine Trellis stopped it from knocking the four kids away like toys. Kuro strained against the plant wall, then gave a tug and broke it, inflicting its black rot and withering the wall to nothing.

"Run!" Viktor cried, scrambling to his feet. "We've got to get away!"

"But we have to capture it!" Devin objected, following suit with the others.

"None of our creatures strong enough to defeat it can fit in these alleyways!" Viktor called back as Kuro gave another roar and began chasing them.

"Then how can Kuro fit in here?!" Devin cried back. Viktor merely pointed behind him, and Devin turned to see that Kuro's body could pass through the buildings like a ghost as long as there were enough shadows. That was how it could fit and not other creatures; it had to be lured outside, even though Epsilon's troops were out there. Kuro was able to chase them half in and out of the buildings, sometimes going into them completely to hide itself and pop back out without warning, a tactic that nearly caught its quarry a few times. Despite this, open sunshine was quick to wash back into everyone's vision as they entered a wide and long street.

"Come on, big guy!" Devin shouted at Kuro as the beast lumbered into the open. It shielded its eyes against the sun but did not stop; at least its shadow melding would not work out here.

"You four! How did you get here?!" a Boros heavy-duty soldier demanded. The four had forsaken their Veils of Secrecy. "Get away from that thing and let us handle it!"

"I'm sorry! We can't!" Kelly told him as Kuro lumbered ever closer, saliva dripping from its formidable chops. "We are powerful spellcasters and are here to take it down! Just stand aside!"

The Boros soldier started to protest, until Devin had Volcanic Dragon in the sky and Viktor threw in Llanowar Behemoth. Kuro hesitated, caught unawares by the unexpected newcomers. It gave a huff and began to march forth, until a smooth voice carried over everything else from two dozen feet down the street: "I guess we're a little late to the party. Shame."

Viktor and everyone else whipped away from Kuro squaring off against the two creatures, and witnessed Beta, the black and red Hunter, dismounting from a bizarre flying creature. The flier had a body of four wings, a long tail, and a long neck with a pointed head. It appeared to be made of hundreds of metal pieces of all shapes and sizes, like an artifact creature. Viktor's stomach clenched when he saw that the artifact creature had a green emerald on its forehead: another Hunter!

"Who are you?" a Sky Hussar Knight called out, allowing his griffin mount to land. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for that thing," Beta told him innocently, pointing at Kuro, Pit Lord with an armored finger. "We are here to capture it. Don't interfere or you'll be killed, all right?"

"Less talking, if you please," the artifact Hunter told Beta in a flat and mechanical voice. "Execute immediate action."

"Fine," Beta shrugged. "Why do you act like the boss all the time, I ask? Lady Elena rules us both. We are both her subordinates."

"My efficiency outstrips your own," the artifact Hunter answered.

"Not combat, I presume?" Beta said.

"No. I simply do not waste time with talk," the other Hunter said. "Except for arguing with you."

Beta sighed. "Then let's get to what we came for, then. If you will, Kappa?"

The artifact Hunter, Kappa, nodded. To Viktor's amazement, his many pieces suddenly broke apart from each other and began re-assembling on their own. They clanked and wedged together by green mana until a bipedal mechanical beast stood beside Beta; it was like a lizard-man, with a tail and reptilian legs. Kappa's two glowing eyes were fixed on Kuro.

"You won't get Kuro!" Kelly shouted at them. "You dirty Hunters aren't enough to stop us!"

"You tangled with Epsilon and Delta the other day, didn't you?" Beta asked the group of kids, now starting to walk slowly toward them, with Kappa following behind with his tails swishing. "In Kamigawa?"

"We did, and nearly beat them," Viktor answered. "We would have beaten them if they didn't retreat after we got Ryusei from them!"

"But it was a narrow escape, and you had two Planeswalkers helping you," Beta added, still coming closer. The kids began backing up as they felt Beta's red and black mana aura start to manifest. "Jace Beleren and Sarkhan Vol were there, and still you had a hard time. Understand that I am stronger than either of them. Only Alpha and Lady Elena surpass me. Kappa isn't bad, either, fitting right in between Delta and Epsilon. And look, no Planeswalker, or that fifth kid, Makoto. You're trapped and are going to die."

Before any of the kids could make a comeback, a swarm of Simic creatures horded into existence and took up a block of the road: drakes, beasts, mutants, mages, and soldiers, not to mention elves and assorted specialty animals. The Azorius and Boros troops had frozen, not daring to interfere in the battle brewing on the street.

"Huh. An audience," Beta commented, stopping and taking in the wall of creatures allying right behind the kids. "Whatever."

"They are of the Simic guild, masters of biological warfare and engineering," Kappa added. "Engage in proper protocols."

"I think it's _you _who's going to die," Viktor growled at Beta and Kappa, as he and the others backed up into the line of Simic creatures, along with Volcanic Dragon and Llanowar Behemoth. Thoughts of his friends, his grandfather, and the lives of billions of innocent Multiverse inhabitants, along with Elena's evil spirit, washed away all fear and doubt from his mind. "Two more Hunters out of our way."

"I don't really like cocky people except myself," Beta said, standing his ground. "Not sure if that's the right word. Maybe just… _confident._"

"Enough chatter," a wizened Simic guild mage cut in. "Destroy him!"

The command was all the encouragement the Simic opposition needed. Dozens of Simic shock troops of varying species surged forward, and the four kids unleashed a variety of creatures and spells. The massive assault wave surged furiously toward the two Hunters standing alone in their empty part of the street. Without any noticeable command, Kappa disassembled himself completely, and now formed himself into two tall halves of a circle, four inches thick. With the enormous attack wave bearing even closer to him, Beta took hold of each half of the shield and fit them closed in front of himself, forming a shield five feet wide and tall. He crouched somewhat and began to slowly walk forward just as the huge attack wave struck him and the shield with a ground-shuddering, ear-splitting clash.

Viktor watched apprehensively as a cloud of debris, creatures, and spell mana blossomed from the point of impact. The force was ridiculous; he was certain that nothing could survive a force like that. He was aware of his heart beating fast and his nerves tingling with his fight-or-flight response, even though the battle had barely begun. None of the other kids said anything.

Finally, the debris and dust cleared, revealing a crater perhaps fifty feet wide and four deep. Viktor's heart clenched when he saw Beta and the shield-Kappa standing nearly unharmed in the middle with minor cuts and burns, along with Beta's red and black mana aura fully manifested and Kappa's silver one being the same. Beta lowered Kappa and allowed him to disintegrate and form back into a reptile humanoid. Beta looked impressed.

"Nice try," he said as praise. "You had Kappa and I afraid for a moment. Okay, now it's my turn."

Beta lifted his left arm and extended it like a rod, his hand open. A small ball of red and black fire gathered before it, and a cone-like wave of black and red fire raged forth, covering the entire breadth of the street. It engulfed all of the Simic creatures that had attacked him and swept over the ranks of Simic reserve forces, and the kids, too. Viktor was thankful for Ashley's Holy Day card, or he and the others would have been vaporized. He watched in horror as the red and black flame attack completely wiped out the Simic forces, leaving only him and the other three left.

"Now that the rabble's out of the way, I can actually fight the good ones," Beta said with mild cheer, starting forward yet again with Kappa following. "Come on, children. I know that you can do much and give me a decent fight. What do you say?"

"I say, consider yourself dead," Viktor told him grimly, preparing a few cards for a solid attack.

Beta sighed. "Kind of stupid of me. Kids these days always have a cheeky response to open questions, huh? Let's see if yours rises above the rest." As he said that last sentence, a scythe blade unfolded in two parts from the armor of his left arm and snapped together in metal scrapes and clicks, until a scythe blade three feet long stood ready for slicing.

He and Kappa were prepared to either capture Kuro or die in the attempt, and Viktor and the others were much the same. The battle would be a decisive one.


	16. Chapter 16

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 16

By Louis Kemner 2008-2009

"It seems that Beta and Kappa have encountered their target," Alpha informed Elena, once he appeared in her throne room in Minamo Academy and knelt in his subservience. He had teleported to Ravnica and back and had witnessed the confrontation that was beginning to take place there. Elena, with one finger lightly touching her lips, gave a small smile as she listened. "All four of the children, in addition to a large assembly of Simic guild forces, oppose them. A number of Azorius and Boros troops are present as well, but appear to not be taking a side. They merely watch."

"Thank you very much for the update," Elena told Alpha, who stood to his full height. "You have done well. Quick progress like this is exactly what I always want. You may return to Dominaria now if you wish, but... be on hand, should I call for you."

Alpha gave a bow and vanished in another blue flash, leaving three occupants left in the room. Before he vanished, however, Alpha couldn't help but notice a small tinge of... was that worry on Elena's face, in her voice? Surely she did not expect Beta and Kappa to have any trouble defeating these card-slinging brats? Always vigilant, however, he was prepared to return to carry out whatever Elena wished of him. He would not fail her like Epsilon had, that pathetic dropout.

"And now, let's take advantage of what I have before me," Elena said, now turning to look at Makoto, who was still sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor a few feet away from her throne and looking grumpy. "Why don't you go outside and play, child? I have some plans for you."

"No thanks," Makoto snapped back, looking at the floor. "Don't bother me."

"Oh my, being stuck here with me has made you such a grouch," Elena said lightly. "Some fresh air and sun should help that. Delta…?"

Delta himself was lying on the floor behind Elena's throne with his eyes closed and his breathing slow and steady. Elena repeated his name again, sharply, and he jerked awake, slowly getting to his large feet. He made his way before Elena on her throne and made his bow. "What do you ask of me, my Lady?"

"There's still one Key Creature astray; his," Elena told him, pointing at Makoto with one of her sinister claw-like nails. "There's a good chance that it's in this plane. Take the child and find it as soon as you can; his presence should make it easier to find. I believe that it is Konda, Lord of Eiganjo, the human samurai of legend. The darling probably returned to his Eiganjo Castle, in the Towabara plain; why don't you start by searching there? Use whatever methods you deem necessary."

Delta scratched his pelt-like hair and breathed deeply to wake himself up. "Yes, my Lady. Whatever methods I want? Sounds like my kind of deal." He approached Makoto and grabbed his arm with a meaty hand. "Come on, kid, let's go."

"Let go of me," Makoto growled, resisting. Delta frowned, then flared his red and green mana aura, stunning Makoto like he had been hit by a taser. The boy collapsed, conscious but limp. Delta grinned and lowered his aura, then pulled on Makoto's arm again and set him across his shoulder. To Elena, he said, "I'll be back later," then he started to walk out of the room and onto Minamo Academy's massive wooden front porch. Elena called for him.

"his time, however, I'll send a few of Alpha's spies with you. With the growing dangers facing us, it is important to keep me updated as soon as possible with everything that happens. They may be able to give you intelligence, too, to aid your search."

"Thank you, my Lady," Delta said, bowing again. He didn't know what Alpha's spies would look like or what they could do; he didn't even know Alpha had spies!

With his business finished here, Delta called for an Enslaved Mothrider Samurai for transport. He did this because Hunters could not teleport from place to place in the same plane, except for Alpha when he used his full strength. The Hunters could teleport to other planes, though, even the isolated Ravnica, and arrive wherever they wanted in the new plane.

As he watched his mount coming, Delta felt jealous of Alpha's additional teleport abilities. It sure would be convenient to just appear wherever he wanted to go, one spot of the same plane to the other. He and the others had to have the crappier version? At least with walking place to place, he could use his exhaustion as an excuse to nap. Perfect.

"Hey, kid," Delta told Makoto, who was still slung over his massive shoulder.

"What do you want?" Makoto groused.

"Do you have any food on you?"

"There's a disturbance in the quarantined zone?" Epsilon asked Waren Lightheart urgently, seated on his Grand Arbiter throne in the central chamber of Prahv. Several robed figures, the Soulsworn Jury members, stood still like statues in silent guard, prepared to give their lives to defend their new Arbiter. Epsilon tightly gripped the armrests of the throne chair.

"Less of a disturbance and more of a war, Grand Arbiter," Waren said hurriedly as he gave his courtesy. "Four young adults have somehow penetrated the borders and are roughly in the middle of the zone, in the main street. There's a massive Simic Combine force with them, too, as well as the gigantic demon-beast we've been searching for."

"What else is there?" Epsilon asked, both hoping and not hoping to hear a certain answer.

"Two strange beings oppose the others," Waren went on. "They are reported thus: one wears black armor, and the other is a mechanical beast made of many parts that can re-assemble into new forms at will. Both have monstrous concentrations of mana in them, far above anything else I've ever seen."

"So… Beta and a new one," Epsilon said quietly to himself. This new Hunter sounded unusual; an artifact one, and a shapeshifter? That could be trouble. Not to mention Beta, of course, who was the second most powerful Hunter, stronger than both himself and Delta. And it sounded like Kuro, Pitlord himself was out and about. This was going to be a three-way struggle against Elena's Hunters and the children. He had to do something now, make a plan.

"Thank you for the intelligence," Epsilon said, standing up and jumping down from the throne in an impressive leap and landing before a stunned Waren, in a crouch. He looked up and then stood. "I must go now."

"Wait — !" Waren cried, stunned as his leader dashed out of the room. "Grand Arbiter! What is…?" The Soulsworn Jury members were equally surprised, but were not allowed to move from their stations without Epsilon's command.

"I cannot explain!" Epsilon shouted back. "Take temporary command of the guild until I return. Don't worry; I will have reinforcements with me. You won't lose another Grand Arbiter!"

With that said, Epsilon tore down the halls of Prahv with unnatural speed, shocking the countless guild mages, accountants, and senatorial aides who wandered the halls. This was indeed his precious chance to get ahead of the wretched Elena in her race for power, a chance to crush her pitiful Hunters and get the children out of the way. He wasn't sure what to do about the children, however. The Hunters were clearly his enemies, and powerful ones at least. But the children? They too opposed Elena, though they sought to claim the Key Creatures themselves.

They would hardly benefit from having the Creatures; at best, their meager mana auras would get a little stronger, and the main reason they sought the Creatures was so Elena herself could not have them and gain their full power. It would be tricky dealing with them. Perhaps he could allow them to weaken Beta and the artifact Hunter, then he could capture them and toss them into the Azorius prison complex, notoriously difficult to escape, practically and legally. Or else... he could slay them himself.

How, though? When the original five Hunters were created, in Shadowmoor, Epsilon had been the second-weakest of them all. Only the ironically fierce blue-white Hunter, Gamma, had been inferior to him. Gamma was the one who had met his demise in Shadowmoor, falling prey to Jace Beleren's trickery when trying to capture the Sphinx Key Creature, Isperia the Inscrutable. Gamma had been destroyed, even though the forehead emeralds couldn't, as he knew...

A sudden idea popped into his head, an unexpected possibility, and as he was giving a command, Epsilon settled on a resolution.

"Get some troops to cover my back as I get out there!" Epsilon told one of Waren's assistants, who looked surprised but determined to follow his command. "No, belay that order! Keep all forces in a tight line, and interlock their shields and magic barriers for protection. You are not to take part in that battle outside! It would mean your destruction."

"Th-then what are we to do, Grand Arbiter?" a knight asked, looking afraid.

"Just do as I say," Epsilon told him. "I have a little errand of mine to run. When I return, I will have new orders for you. Now go! We don't have any time to waste."

Everyone hurried to carry out their orders, and Epsilon searched for a secluded place within Prahv's endless halls and court rooms. He knew his destination, and his prize. He doubted that even the other Hunters knew whether this would work, and Epsilon had his own doubts. Even so, he was no match for Elena or her Hunters at the moment, even with his Azorius guild behind him; he was the weakest living one, the inferior Gamma long dead. And Gamma was what he sought, he thought as he vanished.

"This'll help speed things up," Beta commented, meaning the obliteration of the Simic forces on his part. "A nice two-on-four gets the job done."

"Redirect efforts from conversation to action protocols," Kappa encouraged him. Even without the ability to make expressions, his impatience was clear. "I estimate an 83% probability of success on our part."

"So we'll just hope for the other 17%," Viktor said, preparing his spells. "Ready, everyone?"

"Shouldn't we have some kind of plan?" Ashley asked hesitantly, aware of Jace Beleren's strategic abilities and how important they have been so far in the war against Elena. "They could be tacticians, especially the artifact one. He sounds like a computer!"

"No time to worry about that. Incoming!" Devin cried, leaping away. Four thin beams of black fire sizzled through the air and crashed into the street where he had been standing, making craters two feet wide. Beta was walking forward yet again, firing more beams from his pointing fingers in a variety of angles. Volcanic Dragon and Llanowar Behemoth advanced with gouts of fire and elf ballista shots. In response, Beta lightly jumped out of the ballista shots' ways, leaving the javelins thudding into the stone ground. The wall of blazing fire from the Volcanic Dragon closed in on the Hunter, and with one arm sweep, Beta easily knocked the mass of fire away and sent it flying away into the rooftops.

"Don't play games, all right?" he said, firing another pair of thin fire beams; a Withstand blocked them. "If you mess around, Kappa and I will kill you. Just ask him."

"Shut up!" Viktor cried, moving to the front of the group. "I think we have to spread out a little and have two of us concentrate on each one of them. If we stay in a group Beta's fire will be extra harmful." Consenting to this plan, Ashley paired with Viktor, and Kelly and Devin stood close by, twenty feet away from the other two. Viktor could see that Ashley had several cards hidden behind her back, clearly intending to use them as a surprise against the Hunters.

Kappa now made his move. He crouched his lean, reptile-human body, twitched his tail, and covered the distance between himself and Viktor and Ashley in one stunning leap. He landed in a heavy crouch right in front of Viktor and Ashley and swept his metallic claws at them, intending to gut them in one move. Vine Trellis assured that Kappa's claws did not find their marks, and Fighting Drake gave Kappa a solid kick to the chest with its powerful legs used for launching into flight. Kappa caught the blow full-on and was sent sprawling, and another punt sent him crashing into a building, creating a cloud of debris.

"You got him!" Ashley cheered, not even needing to lend her assistance in the combat. Viktor, feeling cautious optimism, suddenly felt a chill down his spine, and dove to tackle Ashley to the ground; a metal tentacle composed of many parts held together shot out from the debris cloud where Kappa was, and would have taken off her head if it had hit. Kappa himself stepped out of the debris cloud, with only a shallow dent in one large body piece where the Drake had kicked him. The tentacle was made of some of his body parts that had moved to form it, giving him a long-range weapon.

"That blow dealt by Fighting Drake was very ineffective," he said, stomping his feet onto the ground for balance. The tentacle slid back into his body and vanished. Now, Kappa moved his tail so its end blade was extended in front of him, and he pounced once again, with the tail striking the stone road where Viktor was standing. With a yelp, he tumbled away, and felt the sharp blade graze his side, drawing blood. Not content yet, Kappa swished the tail and it collided with another Withstand, though the force sent Ashley tumbling a dozen feet away.

"Hey! Hey, Kappa!" Beta shouted, catching the metallic Hunter's attention before he could follow up on his attack on Ashley.

"What is it?" Kappa asked. "Speak quickly."

"I'll take them," Beta said. "Your opponents. Together, they're probably the stronger pair among the children. Switch with me."

"Hey!" Devin called in annoyance. "Are you saying Kelly and I are weaker than them, fire-boy?"

Beta ignored him. Kappa clanked away, stomping towards Devin and Kelly, who prepared for their new opponent. Viktor was about to give Fighting Drake a command to attack his new enemy, only to be too slow. In one instant, Beta was fifteen feet away. In the next, Beta was right before him!

"What...?" Viktor gasped, before a gloved fist sent a painful blow to the gut, knocking him back, Ashley crying his name. As he fell, Viktor realized that Beta had used the same high-speed movement Gamma had used back in Shadowmoor, only it was even faster. Beta had scooted across fifteen feet in a blur, leaving a short red-black trail behind him. What was that technique?

"Better get your guard up, son," Beta said, looking down at him, raising his right arm, unfolding the scythe blade there. "Or you'll die like a dog! You wouldn't want that, would you?"

Viktor had no response; instead, Ashley crept behind him, thrusting a card forth. White energy surged around Beta, crackling and spitting, enveloping him like a dozen constricting snakes. Beta screwed his face in pain and effort as the Celestial Purge kept up the pressure. Its effect text was to remove target black or red permanent from the game. Beta was black _and _red!

"Arrrgh! Curse you!" Beta snarled. With a heave of effort, he flared his black and red mana aura, managing to throw off the Purge, though he panted from the effort, a few new scars on his armor. He whipped around.

"Watch out, Ashley!" Viktor shouted, and Ashley tumbled to avoid a fire blast from Beta's left palm. Not settling for that, Beta launched a few black fire lances from his left hand's fingers, which were deflected by Carom. This card redirected the next 1 damage from a single target to another. Without a doubt, Ashley was infusing her mana into it to increase the effect.

With a sweep of his arm, Beta knocked aside his own redirected attack; it pummeled a building's wall instead. "How troublesome," he commented, lowering his arm. "You're crafty, maybe too much for Kappa to handle. He's pretty slow to react to surprises like that."

"Hyah!" Viktor cried, pouncing a Snakeform from behind; Beta was gone, zooming away with that blur motion.

"Surprises like that," Beta said, now moving right between Viktor and Ashley. He raised his arms, multi-colored energy crackling on his hands. "Now, let's take this somewhere more appropriate, why don't we? I know just the place."

Viktor tried to stop him, but was too late; a sphere of mana surrounded the three of them, and they were gone from Ravnica's streets. They re-appeared high in the air, somewhere else. Somewhere very hot.

The Minamo Academy stood without its master; none of the Hunters were here, and Elena had let on an excursion of hers. She hadn't told anyone that she would be leaving, but she was the boss; who needed to know? The Enslaved Keiga, the Tide Star patrolled in laps, prepared to meet any threat presented to the vulnerable school. On top of that, many traps lay within, in the off chance that Keiga was defeated; the beast was powerful, but forces existed, including the children, who could defeat it. And that was why Elena was on Grixis.

The plane of Grixis, the black-centered shard of the broken Alara, fit every description Elena had eavesdropped on other Planeswalkers' discussions about it. As she landed and braced herself on the disgusting ground, she looked up and beheld why it was considered a deranged hellscape.

Overhead, thick thunderheads rumbled like angry beasts, throwing lightning bolts to the ground that cackled like an insane laugh. The air was thick, stale, and stank of rot and disease all over. There wasn't a lot of natural ground here other than rock; masses of corpses, semi-solidified planes of ooze and body parts, and thick, noxious swamps dominated the landscape far and wide. On top of that, sickly Kathari swooped in circles overhead, searching for another meal. Mishappen zombies, Incurables, and skeletons wandered about, on the hunt for someone alive to torment before killing. Death Barons and Lich Lords ruled this place, commanding hordes of the Undead, carrying out their nefarious and wicked schemes against each other and the helpless hermitage-dwelling Humans.

What a delightful place.

Elena thought for a second, then decided in a simple course of action. She set off into the horrid landscape exposed, wanting to attract as much attention as possible. Her seething mass of mana and life force was like flies to honey, and little time passed before the deathly hordes closed in on her, seeking sustenance difficult to find otherwise. Countless snarling, drooling, and snapping skeletons, zombies, and death beasts crowded in for the kill.

Elena smiled, standing still even as the army of undead closed in within feet of her.

"You're so easy to corrupt," she told the masses, watching as the undead stopped, surprised by the sudden lack of will to attack her. They could feel the Enslavement mana flowing into them, Elena was sure, as they gave howls and cries of delight as she filled their heads with thoughts of power and sustenance when serving under her. Within moments, each sported the green forehead diamond of Enslavement, all bound to her will. Their corrupt and evil nature made them delightfully easy to commandeer. That was the first step.

"And now, my lovelies," Elena said to all of them, "I'm aware of a hyper-powerful being somewhere on this plane. Would you be so kind as to take me to him? He must be lonely being so powerful, the poor boy."

The Enslaved undead complied, slogging off in a new direction, knowing fully of who Elena was referring to. This would be an interesting meeting indeed.

Elsewhere, on the dark and twisted plane of Shadowmoor, animals scurried away from a blinding flash of green-white energy, and a being appeared there. Epsilon, tossing aside his Grand Arbiter robes, knew that he was in the right place; he recognized the scarred battlefield where Beta and Gamma had fought the first battle against the children. Good; he didn't have time to spare.

"Defy me, will you?" Epsilon said out loud, not turning. He knew that assembled Enslaved creatures, ranging from swamp hags to Gwyllions, were massing behind him to take out their known enemy, a traitor to their mistress, Elena. "Don't you know not to attack someone from behind like that? It's very... dishonorable."

In a green-white blur, Epsilon was among the creatures' ranks, his ivory sword out, flashing through the thick air. The creatures backed away and snarled as Epsilon sliced their comrades into pieces, twirling and spinning expertly. Within minutes, Epsilon settled on one knee, his head bowed and sword held out. One hundred of Elena's dead minions lay scattered about him in pieces. Let that be a warning against her foul Enslavement!

"Now, what I seek," Epsilon murmured, walking forth, approaching a wide crater. It was here, he knew, that Gamma had met his end; his death had probably caused an explosion, creating this crater.

Climbing down the crater's shallow curves, Epsilon scoured the moist dirt, looking, looking. It had to be here; it had to! He could sense more of Elena's Enslaved Minions coming close, some from other Planes. He couldn't be left alone for long.

Epsilon's probing fingers were met with success at last; they closed on the pinky finger-sized green gem, and he lifted it to his hungry eyes. This was it; this emerald matched the one on his own forehead, except that Epsilon's had cracked when he betrayed Elena and lost his connection to her. He prayed for success and placed Gamma's emerald on his palm, then closed his fist around it, focusing all his mana on it.

At once, Epsilon could feel Gamma's blue and white mana flowing into him from that emerald, a shocking experience. The blue-white mana surged around Epsilon like an aura, except that it was not his own. The force of this transfer sizzled the air, creating a shaft of blue-white that reached for the murky heavens. No matter that he attracted attention now. Once the transfer was complete and serenity resumed, Epsilon could feel Gamma's full power coursing within him, combining with his own power to form a single whole. He was now green, white, and blue, much more powerful now.

Epsilon craned his neck, looking up. He didn't know where the foul Elena was, but he had a message for her, one he hoped for her sake that she knew. "I'm coming to kill you. Be ready."

"Don't you have a lot of artifact destruction spells in there?" Kelly asked nervously, looking at Devin's stack of cards. "That's what green does, right?"

"Um, I have a Naturalize and an elf that destroys an artifact when it comes into play," Devin said, gripping his cards tight. "But don't you have life leeching and stuff with your black cards?"

"He's not alive, he's an artifact!" Kelly retorted, pointing at the approaching Kappa. "I'm not suited to fight him!"

"So what, do I do this alone while you watch?" Devin snapped, waving his arms. "Leaving me alone against him?! That's not fair!"

"I didn't say I'd abandon you!" Kelly responded, annoyed. "Don't presume that, Devin. It's just that my deck isn't much good against him."

"If you admit that, then you might as well not be fighting!" Devin shot back.

"I can get _some _of my spells to do some good!" Kelly argued. "I said _not much _good, not useless!"

"Well, neither exactly sets me at ease," Devin grumbled, seeing Kappa draw nearer. Thankfully, it seemed that this one couldn't use that rapid movement like Beta and Gamma had done. "But whatever. You have some good creatures like Sengir Vampire. Use him."

"Already planned on it!" Kelly cried, launching the tattered Vampire. The blood-thirsty fiend, cackling in thought of a fight, zoomed forth to meet the artifact Hunter. Before the Vampire could land a blow, Kappa formed a tentacle with his body parts that ended in a blade. This blade impaled the Vampire, killing it.

"Uh, I think you needed to infuse some mana into him," Devin said, staring blankly at the quick kill. "You know, like Viktor's grandpa said on Bant...?"

"Shut up!" Kelly cried, embarrassed, then dove to protect Devin from a pounce on Kappa's part. Working an arm out of her embrace, Devin summoned Viridian Shaman with extra mana; when it comes into play, it destroys an artifact. The elf woman stood tall, blasting Kappa with artifact-shattering force. Kappa's body groaned with the effort of resisting; his shiny armor sizzled and popped from the effort, until he managed to break free of the effect and take the Shaman out with a claw swipe.

"Yikes! Maybe I should have put more juice into it!" Devin cried in dismay. "Did you see that?"

"Yes, but you should see _this_," Kelly said confidently. Just as Kappa moved in for the kill, a Drag Down spot appeared, a swamp threatening to drag Kappa into its infinite depths. Devin knew its effect; the target got -1/-1 for every basic land type you had. Between him and Kelly, that was three; Mountains and Forests for him, Swamps for her.

"Error! Error!" Kappa grated, unable to move, his energy being sapped.

"Get him!" Kelly cried, and Devin was more than happy to comply. His Fireball blasted Kappa dead-on, and when the flamed died down, the Hunter had visible damage and lay limp.

"Awesome," Devin said in awe, looking down at his fallen foe. "Where'd that Drag Down come from?"

"I cast it as Kappa impaled the Vampire," Kelly explained, holding up both cards for emphasis. "The Vampire was a diversion, and I pretended to be messing up to keep up the illusion. Beta over there said that this one is slow to respond to surprises, after all."

"Oh, yeah. Totally sweet!" Devin exclaimed. "Let's finish him. Another Fireball?"

"Do it," Kelly said, and Devin was about to cast the spell when Kappa's bladed tentacle buried itself in his chest, sticking out the other end.


	17. Chapter 17

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 17

By Louis Kemner 2009

The air was hot and thick, and breathing it was almost like being in a suffocating sauna from hell. Viktor's head swung from side to side, and he needed a few seconds to fully register his surroundings.

He was standing on a curving rock protrusion, a few feet wide. It circled around for hundreds of feet, with glowing hot lava seething another hundred or two feet down. He and Ashley were on the lip of a volcano, a massive one. Around him were other volcanoes, too, a whole range of them! Overhead, the sky was thick with ash-gray clouds, the actual blood-red sky visible in the cloud gaps. The terrain was rocky and rough all about, with small, branching lava flows and packs of wandering creatures, from goblins to lizards to rock elementals. Thick, dark green jungles lay beyond the rocks, with caws and cries of fierce, unseen animals dwelling within.

He, Ashley, and Beta were on Jund.

"How'd we get here?" Ashley wondered out loud, stunned. "We were just..."

"Planar teleportation doesn't have to be limited to just the Hunter using it," Beta explained, who stood hovering over the volcano's middle, as though he stood on glass. Red mana hummed under his feet, providing levitation. He spread his arms wide in a shrug. "The other Hunters and I haven't made much use of it, but we can take passengers along for the ride when going Plane to Plane, like now.

"When Elena moves her troops around, though, she uses large-scale portals of her own creation to move them en masse. It's really something to witness a horde of her Enslaved creatures, spilling onto a new Plane to tear apart and spread her influence on. Too bad you'll never see it; Shadowmoor's been taken, Kamigawa's falling fast, and Mirrodin and Dominaria aren't far behind. Elena and Alpha's spies have brought back excellent support. It reminds me of how... powerless you children are to stop us. Jund will be your grave, do you understand? All of you will die because you're weak and stupid for opposing us!"

Beta showed rare passion and threw his head back in raucous laughter, his armored chest heaving, his black and red hair falling in tangled spikes down his back and scalp. Viktor gritted his teeth as Ashley stared in fright, clenching his fists. Powerless and stupid, were they? He could remember the assembled Planeswalkers in Bant, the ones who stood up for freedom and light in the face of evil like Elena and her Hunters.

Those people; Ajani, Jace, Elspeth, Garruk, and all the others would die defending those things, even if they held little stake in the common people of the various Planes, Elena's boundless evil united them in a common cause, giving them purpose and resolve. Viktor and the others were sworn allies of those Planeswalkers, even the fierce, dragon-revering Sarkhan Vol and the shadowy Liliana Vess. To talk any of them down was to belittle what they were willing to sacrifice, what they were already sacrificing, and the integrity and purity they fought to defend.

It was too much to bear.

"You're going down!" Viktor screamed; the corny curse held dead heavy venom and passion within, he thought as he rushed forth. Holding nothing back, Simic Sky Swallower exploded into existence, the mammoth Leviathan twisting into a position to allow Viktor to mount it. Ashley cried at him to stop his mad rush, but the blood had gone to his head, and he ignored her. He riled the Sky Swallower into a frenzy, inciting it to attack. The monstrous beast gave a low rumble and hiss of acknowledgment, sliding forth in the air. It accelerated, until its massive bulk was speeding like a freight train right at Beta, dead on.

Riding the Sky Swallower's head, Viktor could see that Beta had not moved an inch, but was now smiling, not even looking up. Once the Sky Swallower's rows of giant sharp teeth were upon him, Beta extended a hand. He pressed his hand against a tooth, bracing himself as he stopped the Sky Swallower in its tracks. The beast hissed like a giant crocodile as it struggled, to no avail; it squirmed and strained, gaining no headway. Then, Beta pushed, and the Sky Swallower was allowed to resume its course, running headlong into the volcano's inner wall with a crash and cloud of debris.

"A headlong attack," Beta commented from behind, still standing in midair. "That's your big attack, boy? Way too straightforward for me. And I thought Gamma was a simpleton!"

"You shut up," Viktor snarled, not even facing him. He wheeled around, driving his mount to charge again. It complied, making a second charge, now snaking, diving and climbing at various angles to make a more unpredictable course. It missed its target; Beta was higher in the air now, moving with that blur. He fired a trio of black fire beams from his fingers, which scored small craters in the beast's back. It raised its head to bite at him, snapping its cavernous mouth with teeth taller than Viktor was. In response, Beta kicked the Sky Swallower's nose with an armored foot, sending it reeling back, almost hitting the volcano's rock wall again.

"Let's make this personal," Beta quipped, using the blur-move yet again, joining Viktor on the Sky Swallower's back. He stomped closer, raising his scythe blade for the kill, a nasty, confident smile on his face. Viktor didn't even notice that his forehead emerald had been bright a second before, and was dimming.

Viktor ran to meet his opponent, the blood pounding in his ears, Beta's stinging words still in his head. He started to reach for the cards in his pocket, but seeing Beta's proximity and malicious look changed his mind. _No. Fuck my cards! I'm taking him apart with my bare hands!_

Beta expected to deal the first blow; he was not expecting an uppercut to the chin. Viktor's fist knocked Beta's head back, and he gave a grunt of surprise. Lowering his head, Beta frowned and smacked Viktor with an armored hand. A flash of light burst in Viktor's vision as pain erupted on the right side of his head as he stumbled back.

With another growl, he shook his head clear, yelling and charging for a new melee. His desperate fist-fighting was for naught; Beta stopped or dodged all of his attacks, then sent Viktor flying back again with a knee to the stomach. Viktor coughed blood as he lay on the Sky Swallower's back, his chest aching. Beta was moving in for the kill when the Sky Swallower lurched, now moving up and towards the volcano's lip where Ashley was. Why was it doing that, not receiving any command from its summoner?

Viktor saw the Confiscate card in Ashley's hand; "you control enchanted permanent." Using methods his grandfather had taught him, Viktor had revised the Simic Sky Swallower's Shroud ability to allow him and his companions to target it. As it was, Ashley brought the beast and its riders closer to her. Beta jumped off, resuming his earlier position.

The Sky Swallower lowered its head to allow Viktor to stumble off, joining Ashley on the rock lip. He started to voice his objections when he saw Ashley's upset and set expression. Her hand met Viktor's cheek, turning his head with a sharp slap. She had swung her whole arm for the effort.

"What the...?" Viktor gasped, falling down again, clapping a hand to the stinging cheek. "Ashley, what are you --?"

Ashley knelt before him, tears beading in the corners of her eyes. "Are you stupid?" she cried, in both anger and concern. "What do you think you're doing, charging at him like that? What were you thinking, Viktor?!"

Viktor could only stare, feeling no anger towards Ashley's understandable feelings. He instead wondered what had spurred his suicidal charge at an enemy he knew much more powerful than him, compelled him to fight like a mindless berserker. "Ashley, I'm... I'm sorry," he said, quietly.

Ashley shook her head. "I almost lost my sister to him," she choked. "Don't you know what it's like to watch your sister struggle to recover from grievous injury, fighting to live from a battle like this? I thought I had lost her, we all did! Do you think I wanted to see you in the same position? I admit, we were careless back then, in Shadowmoor in our first fight. But we know better now. Don't you have any sense, Viktor?"

Viktor sighed, feeling stupid now. "You're... you're right, he admitted. "I really don't know what I was thinking. His taunting, putting down the other Planeswalkers like that... it made me really mad."

"Elena's trickery involves warping our emotions, remember?" Ashley reminded him, lightening now. "This isn't the first time it's happened. I'm willing to bet that Beta here and the stronger Hunter are able to do it, too."

Viktor looked over at the hovering Beta, who was listening silently, apparently waiting for a good fight. "Yeah, that must be it," he said. "Listen, I'll be more careful, okay? I now remember myself saying that we're in this together, and we have to stick up for each other to pull through. I'm ready to be your teammate, Ashley. I'll fight by your side."

Ashley's mouth turned in a small smile, and she extended a hand for him to grasp. "I'm ready," she said, heaving him up. With Mending Hands, Viktor's throbbing and bleeding wounds were tended, and he and Ashley prepared to take on their waiting Hunter foe.

Elena wasn't exactly certain what to expect, but neither was she disappointed. The undead minions led her to a low mountain of rock and bones, and was led down a well-hidden entrance door, fit for a being up to ten feet high to pass through. A series of steep stairs curved and wound about in a dank passage lit by torches, until Elena's sharp ears picked up the sound of deep and somewhat labored breathing from a titanic beast.

"Thank you, I can advance on my own," she told the undead, and they halted, parting to form a passage. Elena walked confidently forth, her footsteps loud in the caverns, knowing that even quiet ones wouldn't conceal her presence from the aged Planeswalker who resided here.

Nicol Bolas, uncounted millenia old, heaved his massive body forth, growling and hissing at the presence of an uninvited newcomer. Several humans in rich robes and cloaks stood about him, clearly his minions. Elena ignored them.

Bolas huffed, his eyes watching the approaching woman-monster. "And now, you allow vermin to crawl in here without my knowing?" he demanded, his voice starting quiet but rising to show his anger. "Do you think this a party house? Do you?"

"M-master, we didn't detect anything unusual," one of the humans pleaded with his massive boss. "We knew an undead troop was leading someone in, but we thought it was one of our own, maybe a spy. We didn't think it necessary..."

"Clod! You know the frequency of double-agents and spies here!" Bolas snapped, lowering his head to close to the human's level, who cowered. "Or perhaps you were too lazy to check them, not bothering to wonder why you couldn't read the undead's intent, or the identity of who they escorted?"

"I-I'm very sorry, master," the human begged, his fear screamingly obvious. "It won't happen again --"

"Of course it will," Bolas cut him off with finality. "Once a fool, always a fool. And always a fool's punishment."

With one swept paw, Bolas sent the Human flying all the way across the massive room, crashing into the rock wall. He slid to the floor, limp.

Bolas huffed again, tilting his head as he settled back. "How my muscles ache!" he roared. "Can I not even administer proper punishment without punishing my own body? Well? My scales itch, my wings are sore, my muscles cry for unending rest!"

"Master, we'll make every accommodation --" one of the other Humans started, his eyes fixed in fear on the grisly remains of his fellow.

"Good," Bolas interrupted. "Begin by clearing out of here. All of you. This is not a meeting for the likes of you to witness."

The remaining Humans hesitated, then watched Elena walking closer, instinctively reading the horrendous power and intent she gave off in waves. They scurried as a group out a doorway behind Bolas and out of sight.

"Well, now. You know how to keep them cowed," Elena complimented, looking up at the dragon Planeswalker of legend. Nicol Bolas was the ultimate dragon alive, old and powerful well beyond compare of any other of his kind, dragon or Planeswalker. His triangular head rested at the end of a long, powerful neck, his wings were like pieces of the sky, his curving horns capable of impaling anything. And the mana this creature had! There was no comparison!

"Keep them cowed?" Bolas repeated. "A fine way to put it. Though hardly the only. What brings you, woman?"

Elena brushed back a lock of midnight hair with a thin finger as she smiled her evil smile. "Not an ordinary woman, I should tell you, Nicol Bolas. Do you know of the Defiled One, the monstrosity the other Planeswalkers struggle to defy as it spreads its control over the Planes?"

"My spies tell me of an encroaching darkness enveloping the Planes, from Kamigawa to Mirrodin," Bolas said. "Hordes of mindless, marauding creatures bound to a will other than their own, spreading terror and darkness wherever they set foot. What of it?"

"Well," Elena laughed, "You would be interested to know that I am that Defiled One. I am... Elena."

A single black talon, razor-sharp and fifteen feet long, shot forth from Bolas' left arm, right at his visitor. The energy put behind this attack would be enough to destroy a castle! As it was, the talon was stopped dead, its point held in both of Elena's hands. The very point was a foot from her face. Along with the physical attack, a shrill mental assault plowed into her mind, attempting to shred her consciousness. She resisted it, shoving the mental attack back.

Losing his mental attack, Bolas pushed harder with his talon, his weary but mammoth muscles straining to pierce her. The talon did not make contact.

"Oh. How hostile," Elena commented, letting go of the talon. Bolas relaxed, lowering the talon and returning the arm to his side. "Do you want to kill me?"

Something that looked like a smile crossed Bolas' scaled, aged face. "Anyone who speaks to me with as much bravado as you and presume to be my equal should be put to the test, eh? It has been so long since anyone passed it."

"Thus you recognize me for what I am," Elena said, betraying only a shade o the arrogance she felt. Let the oversized lizard feel some new respect!

"Enemy of the Planeswalker, are you?" Bolas said after a moment. "The dread being who sets to envelope the entire Multiverse in her grip?"

"No other," Elena responded.

"Then what do you want of me?" Bolas asked, snaking his head closer to her for better face-to-face. "I am a Planeswalker, the best of them, but I have no interest in protecting the Planes from you, unlike the other rabble."

"Perhaps because you lack the power?" Elena suggested, knowing that she prodded a sleeping dragon, so to speak.

Bolas' eyes, each as large as Elena's head, narrowed in anger and cunning. "You dare suggest...?"

"I have heard about you," Elena pressed him. "The victor of the battle of the dragon legends long ago, the uppermost being of Dominaria, almost the child of creation itself. But you are losing your power, aren't you? I could feel the weariness in your strength, the tattered edges of your mental attack. Fearsome, but flawed."

While she spoke, Elena quietly probed Nicol Bolas' vast mind, seeking something; a tiny weakness, even a pinprick, to exploit. It had to be there!

Bolas sighed, reclining now, giving his muscles and joints the rest they cried for. His sigh would collapse a log house. "How careless my secrets must be growing, if an outsider is to know about that," he mused. "Perhaps it can't be hidden entirely after all. Yes, I feel my power slipping from me, another little bit every day, every hour. Enough left, however, to crush you, Elena the Defiled One."

A blurred streak of red, green, blue, black, and white appeared as Elena poised herself right at Bolas' nose, covering three hundred feet in under a second. She relaxed, and touched the Elder Dragon's nose.

"You poor dear," she said. "How terrible it must be, aware that other forces may even attempt to overthrow you in your moment of weakness. The natural cycle..."

"I said nothing of weakness or usurpation!" Nicol Bolas roared, recoiling, his stalactite-like teeth flashing. Each one could gore an elephant. "Do you seek to get carried away, perhaps entertain thoughts of taking my place?"

"There, there," Elena consoled. "I don't mean anything like that. Rather, I think there's something for us both to gain here."

"Direct. Bold. That's good," Bolas complimented. "What could I gain from you? Why would I allow you to gain anything from me?"

"I could try this the nice way, or the... _cruel _way," Elena said. "What say you, Elder Dragon? Does a partnership interest you?"

Bolas snapped his head forth, opening his jaws and closing them, a foot from his visitor. She did not flinch. "Partners!" he rumbled in a basso. "You think I would consent to being your, or anyone else's, partner?"

_So reluctant! _Elena thought. Elsewhere in her mind, she found what she sought; that little gap in Bolas' mind. No mind except hers would even be able to find it, let alone do anything with it, even a gap this small out of all his mental armor. She took advantage of it at once, feeling Bolas' strained mana mastery, his aching body. Perhaps amplifying it would help out? Amplification worked wonders on the card-wielding children. It took all she had, but the dragon could be nudged, just enough.

"Answer me, morsel!" Nicol Bolas said after a few seconds' silence, still in his basso.

Elena smiled again. "I have answers for you, Bolas," she said, "but not all of them here for me to say. You need only to look for them. Someone as capable as yourself should find them with ease."

Bolas' eyelids drooped, his body slacking more than usual. He almost yawned. "Without doubt," he responded, settling back. "Begone from here, Elena the Defiled One. I will consider your proposition, once I find your alleged answers. My body and mind demand rest, and I won't tolerate you here while I nap." He watched her in silence for a few seconds, then exploded, "Begone! Our meeting is over!"

"So it is," Elena said, bowing, floating back down to the ground. "I thank you for your time, Nicol Bolas. Truly, your might demands the utmost respect and admiration. Your time is yours to command."

She turned, exiting the room, listening to Bolas' deep and shuddering snores, hearing the rasp of his scales as his chest heaved in slumber. How delightful it would be, she thought, to create such a dependency in him! Her own spies confirmed that Bolas needed the Maelstrom from the reborn Alara to restore his power and body, and raising that need was one step. The other was delaying that Maelstrom's progress, Enslaving the shards' inhabitants and the shards themselves. Hold back the well of power, and let the weary Nicol Bolas beg her to open the coffer doors wide for him! There would be no betrayal from such a one. He would help her right along... she had some doubts about those Hunters.

She wondered what Epsilon, who had absorbed Gamma's emerald, was going to do now. The tracker enchantment she placed on that emerald would activate pretty soon. It was a pretty good idea to enchant Gamma's emerald; he was most likely to die, and Epsilon most likely to betray her. Insurance was always a good thing. Just like her growing partnership with Nicol Bolas; without doubt, he would be helpful to her.

Almost asleep, Bolas' ears could hear Elena the Defiled One's footsteps as she left his presence. His body ached even more than when she had first entered, and it was due to her slipping through his defenses and exploiting him. A foul tactic, but Bolas savored the sneaky quality to it. She reminded him of himself; crafty, greedy, power-hungry. By what his many spies told him, she did a marvelous good job at it, too. Too bad he was better.

_I'll see how this game comes along, _Nicol Bolas thought as he drifted closer to slumber. _See how far she can push me, how far she can entertain me, how far she can make this interesting. Ohhh, it has been too long since someone gave this much promise of a good show. _It would make good punishment for her audacity by going along with her game and then destroying her when her admittedly crafty plan came to fruition.

He speculated about her Hunters, too; what role would these manifestations of her flesh play in their tangled schemes? What would come of the Maelstrom of the reborn Alara, where Bolas planned to regain his strength? He's just have to wait and find out. He had backup plans in store, too, should anything go wrong. Insurance was always a good thing. He was unsure of the full extent of this woman's abilities, just as she was unaware of the full extent of his.

Admitting a wide yawn, Nicol Bolas fell fully asleep, Elena the Defiled One's footsteps growing quieter, then fading entirely. Just how she herself would fade away, sooner or later... whether by his hand, or her other enemies. Fate had its own plans.

"Whoa. This thing is out of this world," Delta said enthusiastically, as he scrutinized Makoto's Konda, Lord of Eiganjo card in his large hand. "These paper cards are really how you kids can cast all your spells and creatures? I would never have guessed! Alpha's told me about tarot cards and stuff in Dominaria telling people's fortune or other occult stuff, but this is different. Can I look at your others, too?"

"You need my permission for that?" Makoto said, exasperated. He was still slumped over Delta's armored shoulder facing forward. The shoulder pad he rested on was made of mossy wood and iron, hardened by magic, and his chest was getting sore. "I'm your prisoner! I'm powerless with you around. Plus, your freaking master is keeping all my other cards back at the Academy. She only gave you this one to destroy personally, for whatever reason."

Delta laughed. "It sounds awesome when it's put that way," he said, in a humor that Makoto didn't share. "Actually, she didn't give it to me to destroy; doing that would kill the creature, and Elena wouldn't want that. Having this card near the creature will make it more willing to cooperate with us, since it's bound to the card."

O_h yea,, _Makoto thought. _Viktor's grandfather, Georgi, told us on Bant how destroying the cards will destroy the Key Creatures. They have the power to bind the Multiverse in harmony and peace, and in Elena's hand, unify it under her evil. Man, it would be easier if we could just destroy them without consequence to keep Elena from having them. Man! I hope Viktor and Devin and the others will find me soon. This isn't good. We can't let Elena have any of the Key Creatures! Argh. Why am I feeling so depressed? I know this is bad, but..._

Makoto could positively feel a cold pit in his stomach, his brain heavy with dread and despair. It almost felt like Elena's emotion-amplification that had caused endless trouble up to this point, mostly in Ravnica and Lorwyn. Makoto's cold stomach clenched. Was she coming along after all, watching them?

"Hey. Hey, guys," Delta said out loud, even though there was no one else around. Only a winged, spindly Kami flew high overhead; it was impossible to tell if it was Enslaved or not. The poor kid's feeling kind of down. Why don't you at least show yourselves now? Show him his tormentor and all..."

There was a sound between a giggle and snicker. "How come, dude?" it said, in a crafty, young voice. "It's more fun this way."

"We can watch all his funny expressions in peace," another said, similar in sound. "He scrunches his face all like this..."

There was a few seconds of silence, then the first voice laughed. Delta said, "Come on guys, you can see each other, but I wanna see you too. This is starting to freak me out, too."

"Ooooh, even one of our master's peers is affected by us?" the second voice crooned.

"Without us doing anything but tagging along?" the first supplied.

"Just do it," Delta insisted. "It's no big deal if the kid sees you guys."

There were a few more seconds of silence, with only Delta's heavy footsteps heard. Then, Makoto received a shock as two young men wavered into existence, with wisps of light blue mana.

They appeared around Viktor's age, just out of teenage years. They wore armor like the other Hunter's; elaborate, metal, smooth. Theirs was dark gray with glowing blue lines, and black under-armor felt. Their arms, heads, and necks, however, were bare, though they wore felt black felt gloves. The upper armor of one of them flowed across his upper chest to a long point over his left shoulder, with the right shoulder covered by normal armor. This effect was reversed on the other, with a long pointed piece flowing to a point over his right. They both had messy, short black hair and mischievous faces. Circular emeralds, dime-sized, rested on their foreheads. Were they new Hunters?

"There you are," Delta told them. "Been a while since I've actually seen you. Have you been spying or doing other work for your master?"

"Yup, yup," one of them said, while the other nodded. "Though he gave us time off, and we decided to come along to watch you actually capture a Key Creature. Didn't you and the traitor Epsilon fail to capture Ryusei earlier?"

Delta actually flushed. "Whatever," he retorted, clearly bothered by that. "We lost it, though we got this guy while we were at it. Elena was satisfied."

"Hmmm, I guess so," the second one conceded.

Makoto couldn't help it. "Who are you guys?" he ventured. "New Hunters?"

The first one gave a cackle. "He still talks, after all this time?" he said. "Who would have guessed?"

"I guess we might as well go the whole way with this," the second one said. He and the first stood side by side, and Delta stopped.

"We are Theta and Omega, kiddo," the first one said, pointing at himself and then the other. Theta left shoulder point, Omega, right.

"We're not Hunters," Omega explained. "Instead, Alpha created us, and we serve him, as he is our master and far more powerful than us. Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that."

"It's cool, man," Theta assured him. "He can't do squat against us anyway! Check him out, all slumped on Delta's shoulder and stuff. Why, I could even do this..."

He walked closer, and poked Makoto's forehead. He made to do it again, then Makoto knocked his arm away.

"Still got some fight in you?" Theta commented. "Cool. Maybe you'll do tricks for us!"

"He will perform his duty for Lady Elena, and nothing else," an ice-cold voice said silkily, out of nowhere. Then, in a blinding blue flash, another man appeared; he wore blue-and-black armor, with a cape and hood. A full-sized green emerald rested on his forehead, above his pit-like eyes. Makoto wildly thought it was Jace Beleren for a second, but this newcomer had an icy feeling of death and contempt that Jace couldn't even think of matching.

He flared his blue-black mana aura, and Makoto felt chills when he detected it. This man's aura made Delta's fearsome one feel like nothing, thick and cold and pitiless. Even as he merely stood there, the plant life around the man wilted and withered, covered in frost. The air around him wavered, all warmth and heat drained from it. A breeze blew some of that cold air toward Makoto, and he shivered from more than the temperature cold. That air was _dead, _leeched of all life, vitality, and energy. Dead.

"M-master Alpha!" Omega stuttered, then he and Theta snapped to attention, now much more serious, and reverent too. They stood stock-still as the man looked at them.

"I gave you freedom to do as you please, but I will not having you mis-representing me," he told them in a cutting voice. "Do you wish everyone you meet to think Elena and her Hunters as blithering infants?"

Theta and Omega didn't even flinch, but Makoto could almost feel their guilt and shame. "We promise better behavior, master," Theta told him. "Though we were performing our duty. We leeched his willpower and courage like you asked..."

"And you did a fine job," Alpha said, striding toward Makoto, taking in every detail. "Keep it up. Delta, set him down so he may stand on his feet."

Makoto was sure Delta was obeying only because Alpha was much stronger than him, and he was released. He stood at his full height right before Alpha, who was the same height. Despite that, Makoto felt tiny and puny compared to him. How would he and the others defeat him? And to think that Elena was stronger!

"An ordinary child," Alpha commented. "This is one of the five children who oppose Lady Elena and her plans of domination? Your name is Makoto Nakamura, isn't it?"

"U-uh," was all Makoto could say for a second. "Y-yes, that's my name." He tried to stand up straighter, appear more impressive. Alpha's horrendous mana aura made any defiant feelings difficult to even imagine.

"And this is the house for the Key Creature you control?" Alpha said, taking the Konda card from Delta's meaty hand. "This cheap paper card?"

"Y... yeah, that's it," Makoto agreed. If it weren't for the terrifying despair and fear this Hunter inspired, he would have found it funny seeing the Hunters handling a Magic card. If only the card shop owner could see who was handling it now!

"Take it," Alpha said, holding it out. Theta and Omega bound forth to claim it, then fought each other over it, clawing and tussling in a cat fight.

"I wanna hold the funny card! I wanna!"

"No! Me! I saw it first!"

"We saw it at the same time, Viashino brains!"

"What did you call me, Goblin face?"

Alpha stepped forth and snatched the card from both their grips, and Theta and Omega once again snapped to rigid attention, giving no sign of their frivolous behavior.

"I will handle it," Alpha said in his same icy time, slipping the card into an inner pocket of his cape. "I must depart; Lady Elena requests other things of me, and I as I am the busiest of the Hunters. Continue following Delta and Makoto Nakamura, carrying out the orders I have given you. Don't let your mischief interfere, or you will be punished. We cannot afford to be sloppy at this stage; man delicate but important matters hang in the balance. Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, master!" Theta and Omega said as one, and then Alpha vanished in another flash of blue light. Theta and Omega's faces spread in impish grins at the same time, and Makoto wasn't too sure he wanted to know what was going through their minds. There were too many insane minds running around as it was.


	18. Chapter 18

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 18

By Louis Kemner 2009

The shiny, bladed end of Kappa's jointed tentacle protruded from Devin's back, the hard metal bright in the mid-day light. It was almost as bright as the red blood that seeped from the horrendous wound, that caused Devin to freeze in shock, and another trickle of blood to emerge from his mouth. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, making only a few gasping sounds.

"Devin!" Kelly cried, in shock and horror. She rushed over to help her friend, only to stop when a second bladed tentacle shot in her direction. Kappa heaved his misshapen, multi-piece body out of the Drag Down Swamp, keeping the first tentacle buried in Devin's flesh, piercing his vitals. The machine Hunter made a metallic grunt.

"Both lungs, the heart, and the spinal column are critically damaged," he said, standing up straight on a pair of legs. "Only seconds remain until death."

"Death... no! Devin!" Kelly wailed, abandoning her cards and desperately searching for a way to help her friend. It couldn't end like this, Devin couldn't die. Not just for the sake of the Multiverse, but he was her friend, precious to her... that was what kept them going. Each other.

Then she saw the Guttural Response card held limply in Devin's right arm, and the wisps of his red-green mana aura seeping into it.

Devin gave a weak grunt, his body heaving. With a clank, Kappa snapped his gaze onto him, his shining eyes watching. Devin was silent, then gave a low growl, a fierce animal noise. It grew louder, rough and fierce, until it exploded into a rage that repelled Kappa's spike tentacle from his body. His mana aura flared to its full extent, his voice still a huffing lion-like growl, the gaping wound in his torso sealing closed. Even the blood was vanishing.

"Devin, what in...?" Kelly gasped, watching the phenomenon. Devin stood to his full height, squaring his shoulders, looking down in wonder at the now fully closed wound.

"Whoa! What just happened?" he said in amazement. His shirt still had a jagged round hole, but his flesh was renewed. He ran his fingers over the skin, hardly believing what his fingertips told him.

"You don't know what you did?" Kelly asked, recovering from the shock. Exasperation started to seep in; did Devin have to bumble his way out of everything?

"I... no," Devin said in honesty, turning to face her. He gripped the Guttural Response card tight. "It just happened, my mind was in a haze. Wait, what's this card? What do I have that heals?"

He examined the Guttural response card; it was an instant, red-green hybrid. Its effect was to counter a blue instant spell. "But Kappa is artifact, not blue. And he doesn't cast spells or anything... and I didn't think about casting this! I just..."

"Quit yakking for a second," Kelly snapped, taking the Guttural Response card and looking at it. She got the feeling that Kappa was "programmed" for combat etiquette and wouldn't attack them yet, but there was no guarantee. They had to figure this out fast.

"Maybe..." Kelly wondered out loud, her hurried brain working, "The _idea _of the card is what happened, and not the effect?"

"You mean, like how I roared?" Devin asked, rubbing his throat. "My throat kinda hurts..."

"The thing is, maybe it's your colors, and the connection between them and the card," Kelly said in a rush, her eyes not leaving Kappa for one second. "Red and green are, well, primal, and savage together, instinctive. You don't think with that, you just act and let nature take over. Like when running a red-green deck, as opposed to a blue or black one."

"Does that mean," Devin said with realization, "is that I'm a natural genius at the card game, and was born to play it?"

"I --" Kelly started, then bonked Devin on the head. "No, Devin! The savage nature of red-green took over with that card, with the survival instinct of an injured animal, or you. The card's 'guttural roar' was idealized as the roar of a wounded animal, and gave you primal, emergency strength, including healing to keep fighting to survive. Get it?"

"Oh... yeah! I do!" Devin said, sounding excited. "So, that means that my aura's colors affect how I fight and use my cards? Instinct and survival on my part?"

"Yeah," Kelly said. "Like how Viktor runs green-blue and he's good at handling creatures, and I have the cunning of black, making traps like with Drag Down and figuring this out. And how Ashley has quick wits and desires strongly to protect us, since she's white-blue. And Makoto is sharp and efficient in combat, being red-white."

"Impressive analysis," Kappa grated; he had caught every word. "Lady Elena will be informed of this, to produce effective counter-strategies."

"Huh? You heard us?" Devin cried, wheeling around.

"Stupid but tough, like a red-green," Kelly muttered.

"Hey! I heard that one!" Devin snapped.

Kelly's eyes widened, and she shouted, "watch out!" as she dove to protect her friend. Kappa withdrew his metal tentacles and shot forth a dozen thinner ones, intending to pepper his targets full of holes. The pointed ends sizzled menacingly in the air.

"Well, if I'm primal savagery, then let's go!" Devin exclaimed confidently, enthusiastically flaring his red-green mana aura to full. Streetbreaker Wurm, a 6/4, was launched and it zoomed forth like a missile, propelled by extra red mana. In response, Kappa re-formed, this time into a giant pair of jaws lined with sharp teeth, like a bear trap. Kappa clamped his jaws/body on the Wurm's neck, and the Wurm struggled to free itself and gnash at his prey; it flailed crazily, cracking the street pavement.

"I hope none of the bystanders get hurt by this," Kelly mused to herself, aware of the many Azorius and Boros troops assembled at the street's edge, terror clear on their faces. Why didn't they run away? It should be clear that they could do no good stepping into the fight, no matter what side they took. Oh well.

"Consume Spirit!" Kelly shouted, destroying Streetbreaker Wurm and absorbing mana. Kappa's jaw-body snapped closed, vulnerable. Thinking fast, Devin cast Vengeful Rebirth, bringing the Wurm back and throwing a wave of fire damage at Kappa, followed up by another physical charge. To aid the Wurm, Kelly cast Vicious Hunger on it, altering the effect and driving it into a starving, blind rage. The Wurm collided heavily with a surprised Kappa, knocking him back into a building with a huge crash and dust cloud.

"Whoa! That's insane!" Devin said, impressed. "Vicious Hunger to help a creature? That's new."

"We've got to get really creative here, Devin," Kelly said, holding a card up and pointing it forth. "Just like in a normal game. Find the trickiest methods to win."

"That's more for black and blue, isn't it?"

"For any color. We can't beat him unless we involve a few twists," Kelly told him. "Look over there. We hurt him some more, but he's coming for more."

"Argh! He's coming!" Devin groaned, watching Kappa take a bipedal form with a lizard-like head and tail, stomping grimly toward them. "This is like that one movie, with a robot who kept coming back for more... wait. I shouldn't get distracted."

Knowing that an impaling tentacle would finish it off on the ground, Devin cast a Viridian Shaman riding Dragon Whelp, casting its anti-artifact magic down below on Kappa. This assault was aided by a Dark Banishing, the foul black cloud rushing to destroy the target. When the dust cleared, however, Kelly and Devin were not met with the sight they wanted.

Hardly any more damaged, Kappa had now re-arranged his parts into a hollow ball, the attacks having difficulty striking the smooth surface.

"Uh-oh," Devin said, a possibility striking him, one that was realized. Kappa nudged forth a little, then accelerated into a straight-line roll like a bowling ball, faster and faster. The sphere-Kappa was over eight feet wide, and moving fast; Kelly and Devin had to jump in opposite directions to avoid the ball, and it plowed into another building, grinding to a halt. Then, it rolled back, aiming toward Devin; Kappa, clearly, could steer.

"What?! Why me?" Devin cried, throwing out a Raging Goblin in the hopes of stalling him; Kappa squashed it and rolled on, not even slowed.

"Drag Down!" Kelly exclaimed, and the mire re-appeared right in Kappa's path. It was met with success; the ball-Kappa was stunned for the moment. A Carrion Wall made sure to enforce the trap, the skeletons gripping Kappa tight.

"Now! We've got him!" Kelly called over. A horde of creatures, including Abyssal Spectre, Sengir Vampire, Volcanic Dragon, and Streetbreaker Wurm charged in for the kill. Before any of them could strike, however, dozens of spikes shot out of Kappa's round shell, making him look like an over-sized sea urchin.

These spikes impaled all the attackers, injuring some and destroying the weaker ones. Carrion Wall was broken, too, giving Kappa just enough opportunity to tug himself free of the Drag Down. Then, he assumed the shape of a four-winged drake, hovering a few feet off the ground.

"Um, I don't think this is working so great," Devin said in gloom. Kelly had to agree.

"Grand Arbiter! You've returned!" Waren Lightheart exclaimed, catching sight of his boss emerging from around a bend in Prahv's hallways. The two men stood in the massive central room, with sunlight streaming from tall, narrow windows set high on the walls. The light shafts made Epsilon look all the more impressive and imposing. "Where have...?"

"...I been?" Epsilon finished for him. "That's not for you to know, Waren. However, you are permitted to witness the fruits of what I have accomplished. Tell a platoon of my troops to accompany us. Right away." There. Let Waren feel his superior capabilities and knowledge. Elena had done it often enough to him and the other Hunters before he betrayed her.

"R... right away, Grand Arbiter," Waren bowed, then hurried to gather a platoon of knights, archers, and pikers, forty men in total. That was a standard Azorius military unit. The men assembled around their Arbiter, looking apprehensive; they knew that he was nothing like the last one, and held many secrets. Secrets for them to find out, and secrets for other people to find out.

"What do you command of us, Grand Arbiter?" one of the knights asked. Only a slight trembled of nerves.

"I command you to accompany me and allow me to demonstrate something," Epsilon told him, raising an arm. "It's time that I show you what I really am, nothing like Augustine IV. Behold!"

A great swirling portal roared into existence, similar in design and function to Elena's, except colored after Epsilon, as opposed to Elena's purple and black. She used them to transport her Enslaved army from place to place to terrorize and dominate wherever they set foot. He had better intentions.

The Azorius troops gave exclamations of surprise and shock, unsure what to make of the swirling and crackling portal. Other people, too, stopped and stared in wonder.

"This is what your Grand Arbiter Epsilon I is capable of," Epsilon shouted over the noise, for all to hear. "Don't think me a feeble old man like my predecessor."

Now, facing the assembled troops, he told them, "follow me into the portal. If you wish to prove your loyalty and devotion to your savior, then follow." With that, Epsilon stepped into the portal, vanishing. With encouragement from Waren, the troops followed with Waren taking up the rear. They found themselves in an abandoned field of tall grass, surrounded by hilly forests with a mountain range in the distance. A dark blue river flowed some distance away.

"Wh... where are we?" one of the archers asked, stunned. Living their entire lives in the metropolis Ravnica, they had never seen true wilderness. It was a shocking new awareness opened to their minds, an unpredictable change that invited possibilities. Symbolic, Epsilon thought.

"Grand Arbiter," Waren asked, edging closer to his commander for comfort in their bizarre new surroundings, "what is the meaning of this? Where are we? I see no buildings of any sort, it's not even like the Selesnya gardens... not that I mean disrespect..."

Epsilon made an understanding expression. "Rest easy, Waren," he told his second-in-command. He must make every difference from Elena's defiled army and rule, her insidious methods... he would demonstrate what a real empire-builder was like. "Stand back and watch what I do."

To all his present followers, he said, "Men, I opened a portal and transported us to a new Plane called Dominaria. Ravnica is one Plane of many, and they all differ from one another. You may have your own views from your city-Plane, but be prepared for many new sights such as this. You will have new duties that expand well beyond the Guild wars of Ravnica. You will be heroes to billions of people you didn't even know existed!"

"What would you have us do, Grand Arbiter?" one of the knights asked, sounding eager. Epsilon's mouth curved in a satisfied smile. So they would cooperate!

"I would have you prepare," he told them. "It will not hurt." To Waren, he said, "Prepare to command a lot more troops."

Before anyone could ask any more questions, Epsilon charged green, white, and blue mana in his hands, swirling energy that swelled in power and size. Then, giving a cry of effort, Epsilon threw the mana in sizzling lances at his assembled troops, enveloping them. They couldn't even cry out; their bodies were phased into pure mana themselves, shining white. Waren braced himself against this phenomenon, shouting and covering his face with an arm, which Epsilon ignored.

"Now, one may be many," Epsilon whispered. As he watched, the white-mana soldiers distorted and grew, like amoebas under a microscope. New bodies began to emerge from the old, multiplying. The properties of Epsilon's mana were doing their work; the Azorius troops had their bodies read and copied, splitting into double. There were now eighty soldiers before him, and still the process went on. These eighty troops became 160, then 320, and more continued to emerge. Epsilon kept his hands raised to focus the mana, feeling the drain. Even so, he had to continue. Grass wavered and scorched, the air shimmered, and all wildlife steered clear of the super-natural events taking place.

At last, Epsilon lowered his arms, the mana dying down into nothing, natural calm and order returning to the pristine wilderness. Birds of prey, snakes, deer, and foxes carefully crept closer to inspect what had happened with their probing, primitive senses. A deer sniffed a knight, and he moved, scaring it off. From behind him, several thousand more watched. Terns of thousands.

"My... oh... what in all the fates is this...?" Waren breathed, hardly daring to believe what he saw. What was once a meager platoon of soldiers was now a shining sea of them, lined perfectly in rows and columns, spreading for hundreds pf meters all around. All loyal to their Grand Arbiter, all willing to fight to the end to do battle with Elena's Enslaved army. Their master would will it, and they would obey!

"Waren," Epsilon said, and he jumped. "Yes, Grand Arbiter?" he asked, snapping into a salute, hoping to impress his boss after such a display of awe.

"I hope you're prepared to help me command all these."

"Walking is such a pain," Delta complained, scratching the back of his head and yawning. "Why couldn't that Mothrider Samurai have taken us all the way to Eiganjo Castle, or wherever we're going?"

"The poor thing couldn't take your weight, big guy," Theta said snidely. "Didn't you see it straining and panting just to fly you as far as you went? Maybe walking the rest of the way will work a little weight off?"

"What was that?" Delta snapped back, whirling around to face him; his arms swung out, and his left fist narrowly avoided knocking Makoto off his feet. "Was that a joke?"

"Oh yeah," Omega said. "Hey, Theta, don't make jokes to him. He's too thick to get them!"

"You little –!" Delta roared, lumbering after him; Omega darted out of harm's way, leaving a trail of blue and black behind him. Delta flailed his arms, trying to catch him; within minutes, Makoto watched in disbelief as the three of them chased each other all about, Theta and Omega evading their pursuer with their quick movements, leaving trails of blue and black after them. What was that?

"Ha ha!" Theta laughed. "Is the poor brute too slow and dumb to catch us? Huh?"

"Hee hee, careful, or you'll provoke him!" Omega supplied. Delta frowned, then in a blur of red and green, covered the distance between him and the others, which was more than twenty feet. He could do it too! A massive brute like him, moving at blinding speed? Theta and Omega were shocked too.

"Ack! We give up! We give up!" Theta whined, as he and Omega were held in the air by their heads, their legs kicking uselessly.

"Don't hurt us!" Omega begged, his hands clawing futilely at Delta's massive hands.

"Better not get on my bad sides, boys," Delta warned then, clearly enjoying his position of power over them. "Or else..."

"Or else what?" Omega dared him. "Gonna hurt us? You know what master Alpha would say about that! He doesn't forgive mistakes or bad judgment. Just ask Epsilon, the traitor!"

"No one even knows where Epsilon is," Delta said. "Anyway, guys, harass me any more and..."

"...and nothing, unless you can catch us," Theta said smoothly. In a brief flash, both Theta and Omega vanished. Makoto thought they had gone to another Plane, but they re-appeared right behind Delta in another flash. They could teleport from place to place in the same Plane! Did that mean that Alpha could also...?

"Hey! That's not fair!" Delta whined, whirling around. "You know I can't do that! Heck, Beta can't..."

He tried to catch Theta and Omega, but couldn't; they were too fast. They climbed onto his back, one on each side.

"We're tired!" Theta whined. "Carry us to the Castle! We gotta rest up before capturing the Key Creature."

"What?! I'm the one who'll be doing it!" Delta objected. "Not you! And get off my back!"

"Huh? Then what are we here for?" Omega cried.

"You should know!" Delta told him. "You're the ones who said you are acting on Alpha's orders!"

"Hey, better go get the kid," Theta said suddenly, pointing. "He's getting away."

Indeed, Makoto had made a break for it. He had no cards to cast spells with, but he couldn't be in their presence any longer. He had to get away somehow!

It was for naught. With the super-speed of red and green, Delta was on him in an instant, pinning him to the ground.

"Don't got bolting off, kid," Delta told him. "There's nowhere to run."

"Yeah. We're awesome like that, see?" Theta said, getting up. He and Omega had fallen to the ground when Delta used his fast movement. "Why'd you have to fastwalk so suddenly, Delta? We fell off!"

Delta shrugged. "I couldn't have outrun him with you two on my back."

_So it's a fastwalk, _Makoto thought, fighting the disappointment of being caught. Without further ado, Theta and Omega climbed back onto Delta's back, throwing off his balance and making him groan in irritation.

"I'm not your mule!" he objected.

"Come on," Omega cajoled, slapping the shoulder pad he rested on. "It'll be fun!" he pointed in the direction of Eiganjo Castle. "Come on. To the Castle we go!"

Delta sighed and collected Makoto, carrying him under one arm as Theta and Omega whooped and cheered their excitement from Delta's shoulder pads. Makoto had always wanted to tour the countryside with a fun, lively group, but this was not what he had imagined for himself.

Beta skidded backwards on thin air, gritting his teeth with effort and strain. How had the damned kids turned the tables on him like this? He was breathing heavily, his shoulders rising and lowering and his armor clanking as his chest heaved. The determination of the two children had amused him at first, then angered him, inviting a return to his more black-red nature. He intentionally restrained that part of himself, fearing the destruction and chaos _that _part of him brought.

"Hey! We're getting him!" Viktor couldn't help cheering, knowing better than to get too cocky. Thorn Elemental flapped in the air, supported by a pair of shining angel wings proportionately sized; it was enchanted with Asha's Favor, giving it wings and faster movements with the "first strike" ability. An Oakenform-ed Sky Hussar hovered nearby, providing support, along with an Assault Zeppelid and a Wall of Denial. And so far, it was working.

"We're pushing him, yeah," Ashley agreed, watching with a few cards held ready in her hand as Beta collected himself. "Though we should be ready for a turn-around, just in case. We can't be helped by Planeswalkers, not even Sarkhan, who lives here or something."

Indeed, a massive, see-through blue bubble enclosed the volcano battlefield. Beta had created it, boasting that no Planeswalker could possibly go through it or Planeswalk to anywhere inside it. Viktor could recall all the help Ajani, Jace, and Sarkhan had provided for them, and realized that it was just as well; they had to learn to stand on their own, rely on their own strength to stand up for a righteous cause. They couldn't depend on the big kids forever, after all.

Beta wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, then his gaze snapped up and his eyes widened as Thorn Elemental swooped in for another attack. The Elemental's massive fingers were clawed out, sharp and curving and deadly. Viktor had to admit that the Elemental looked funny but impressive, pouncing in the air on its opponent like a super-sized wooden panther.

"Whoops," Beta jibed somewhat bitterly, as he jumped into the air to dodge the Elemental's hand, which slammed into the volcano wall and created a cloud of debris and dust. Beta fired a cone of red-black fire from his palm, and the Elemental took the brunt of the attack by blocking with its arm, sustaining fire damage. In retaliation, the Elemental swung out with its other hand, and Beta pushed off of it with his hands to propel himself high over the Elemental's head; it looked up at him and growled.

"I think this has gone on long enough," Beta said decisively, then raised a hand. Purple mana swirled around it, and he shouted at it: "Kappa! Get over here! Bring your opponents with you! We can't have then running away. We'll kill them all together, in one place."

"Wait, does that mean...?" Viktor started, then his question was answered as Kappa appeared next to Beta in a blinding silver flash. Kelly and Devin appeared next to him, looking shocked at the sudden change of scenery.

"Whoa! What just –?" Devin exclaimed, before he saw the two Hunters next to him in the air. Sky Hussar swooped forth to collect him and Kelly, bringing them to the volcano edge where Viktor and Ashley were.

"Beta just summoned Kappa here and ordered to bring you two with him," Kelly explained in a rush, her eyes on her two foes. "We're on Jund, and there's an anti-Planeswalker force field or whatever around this volcano. We've managed to push Beta back; we're determined to defeat him. I think willpower and confidence affect how well we do, not to mention teamwork."

"What?!" Devin cried, looking miffed. "You're beating the one stronger than the one Kelly and I fought? We were losing even though we figured out a better way to use the cards! I feel bad now..."

"Don't get down, Devin," Ashley said. "Be strong. And did you say that you found a new way to use the cards? Explain fast; I don't think Beta and Kappa will give us much time."

Devin Viktor and Ashley the run-down of how to use cards in ways other than their effects, simply by channeling creativity and imagination. The cards could have vastly different and often better effects if used the right ways.

"That's great," Viktor praised, already thinking of new ways to use his green and blue cards. He was watching a spot behind Devin's back. "Now use some of that creativity to defend us!"

"Use..." Devin started, before seeing Kappa's now long body with a sharp end shooting forth like an extending rod, Beta holding the other end. Wall of Denial scooted forth to block the attack, mana sparking and spitting at the point of contact.

"I thought we could handle this individually, but I guess there's no replacement for teamwork, huh?" Beta called over to them, retracting Kappa with a cacophony of clanks and clinks. "One could say children inspire me. Now, inspire me with your blood!"

"Adjusting," Kappa said as he flattened his body and gave his edges sharp pieces of his body, the part Beta held turning into a handle. Beta swung him toward his four enemies.

"Okay. We're being attacked by a hundred foot-long sword," Devin said dryly, watching with disbelief. "That talks."

"Watch out!" Viktor cried, pushing everyone out of harm's way and getting Assault Zeppelid to take the brunt of the attack; the flying beast was flung far away, rent almost in half. Kappa was swung again and again, apparently unaffected by his size and length; each blow scored massive scars in the volcano's wall. Viktor shivered as he and the others dodged; one hit from that could kill any one of them beyond healing.

"Okay. Let's try this," Kelly said, raising a new card. "Vicious Hunger!"

A bolt of black mana struck Thorn Elemental, and it rumbled in reaction. Viktor was at first shocked that Kelly would hurt his creature, but then changed his mind when he saw the Elemental rage towards Beta and Kappa, screaming roughly in what he realized was raging hunger, driving it into a frenzy.

With Kappa as his sword, Beta shouted "Useless! Useless!" as he held the Elemental off with repeated hacks and slashes. The two exchanged savage blows until Ashley cast a Surge of Thoughtweft.

"We don't have any Kithkin around!" Viktor started to object, but then remembered their new combat tactic. Now, sparkling trails of white mana flowed out of the card and struck him, Beta and Kappa. Viktor's mind reeled as his conscious was made one of three in his brain. Beta's and Kappa's thoughts shouldered in, competing with his own for his attention and control.

_What is this? Why am I--_

_Error. Unknown entities computing--_

_What? Why am I seeing what the child sees, what he thinks? Am I being enchanted--_

_Oh! That Thoughtweft thing linked our minds! I can read their thoughts!_

_Re-adjusting mental protocols to compensate for--_

_If this kid is serious, then--_

_I can predict their moves! I can do this!_

Viktor fought through Beta's and Kappa's thoughts, determined to take advantage of his temporary ability. Reading Beta and Kappa's minds, he was able to predict their moves and adjust accordingly, gaining the advantage in battle faster than they could.

Thorn Elemental was able to dodge just right, take the right position, and exploit openings at the last second, even those that didn't seem to exist. The Elemental's massive hands struck Beta twice, forcing him to cry out. Kappa abandoned his sword form and began to consolidate into a ball of pieces, a crackling orb of green mana inside like a heart.

"And... I've got you!" Viktor shouted, commanding the Thorn Elemental to make another decisive blow. Its massive hand closed on Kappa's round body, gripping him in his weak points and crushing him. Kappa screeched an ear-grating metallic noise, both in voice and body, as he was destroyed. Then, he exploded into countless individual pieces, shooting off in a million random directions. As each piece reached a certain point, it vanished in a small flash of silver.

"Did you get him?" Kelly said breathlessly, watching. "He's in pieces..."

Thorn Elemental growled, stepping back on thin air as it hovered with its flapping wings. The Surge of Thoughtweft was wearing off, and Viktor's mind was his alone once again.

"Well! It looks like you've got him," Beta said, trying to maintain his cool, cocky manner, but Viktor could see his seething rage, in his voice, face, and mana aura. He sensed something very bad there... "Kappa can't be destroyed, not like that, but he's in no shape to fight now. You've dealt too much damage to him; he has to retreat, devour more metal to replenish himself. I think Mirrodin will be the place for him."

"And oblivion will be the place for you, once we've destroyed you too!" Viktor declared boldly. Thorn Elemental rumbled its agreement, its arms creaking into combat readiness.

"Not likely," Beta retorted, his manner slipping into madness. A wide, crazed smile twisted his face, a fire in his eyes. He raised his clawed, armored hands and shouted, "I congratulate you, children, for pushing us this far! Lady Elena's right to take you seriously and fear you. Know, however, that it is you who will ultimately feel the fear!"

"Yup. This is getting bad," Viktor had to say, and the others nodded grimly, watching Beta. Thorn Elemental scooted back with its master, now taking a defensive posture.

"I never told you, did I?" Beta said with barely controlled rage and violence. "What the top three Hunters can do? I'll tell you – this body, this form, isn't the full extent of who I am. No, Beta the Hunter is more. I am more! And once I manifest my Ascendant State, I will show you why I am superior in the end!"

Beta let loose a wild, echoing, blood-chilling cry, the very air seeming to vibrate and resonate with it. Black and red mana, more than before, sizzled around him and enveloped him. Beta's body began to change; warping, expanding.

"It hits the fan," Gerbie commented firmly, emerging from Ashley's pocket. She pushed him back in, warning him not to get in harm's way.

"Fine. You fight the big bad fire man," Gerbie said from in her pocket.

"He's right," Ike said, taking his turn to emerge and poking out of Viktor's pocket. "This ain't cool, man."

"Quiet!" Viktor snapped, pushing his own Simic gerbil pet back into his pocket.

"You will fear me! You will burn! You will understand fear and despair!" Beta screamed, his body melting into what seemed like pure mana and fire. His body distorted, taking a new shape. His armor was gone, and so was his human shape. As Viktor watched, he realized that what Beta was becoming. When the transformation was complete, he knew for sure that this battle would not be an easy one.

A wraith of fire stood before them, pulsing with an internal flame. Beta's body was like a semi-solid dark gray shroud or cloak, wispy and tattered, and rather rotund. His head was a gross protrusion from his shoulders, with a jagged mouth curving upwards like an evil jack-o-lantern's. His eyes were red slits over this mouth, dead set on his targets. Two curving horns sprouted from his forehead, curving up and back over his head. His arms were spindly and skeletal, with long claw-like fingers that grasped and twitched in the empty, hot air.

"Well, now. Do you understand why you will die here?" Beta declared, his voice ghostly and echoing, fitting his form. "This is it, children! Your cards and tricks are no good anymore, not against me! You will die, and your friend will help us find the other Key Creatures and then die himself! I will force your Key Creature cards from you and kill you in agony and fire!" He inhaled, his chest swelling, then burst out in maniacal laughter, long and loud.

"I'd say we have a pretty hardcore fight ahead of us," Viktor told his friends. They could do naught else but agree, even the gerbils.


	19. Chapter 19

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 19

Mirrodin was not a plane for the soft, fleshy creatures of other planes, nor was it a plane for the weak of body or spirit. Here, sharp, shiny razors sprouted from the ground in the millions, forming the famed Razor Fields, a place that would lacerate the flesh of a clumsy explorer. In the distance, gigantic rust and iron volcanoes belched sizzling iron dust and fumes from metallic lava, making the sky above them sooty. Great twisted forests of copper blanketed the hills and mountain bases, clear of any vegetation underneath.

Those forests were the homes of crafty skitterbugs, the elusive, hulking Trolls, and the nimble and valiant elves with their metal enhancements. In the distance, the quicksilver sea slopped its silvery tide on the steel and brass shore, with various hoverguards patrolling the spires and catwalks that peppered that sea. Under its currents, leviathans and titanium fish swam about, living their lives.

Though the native wildlife was tough and fearless, the newcomer on this metal plane nevertheless caused quite a disturbance as it appeared in a silvery flash between the razor field and a copper forest. Troll wanderers, misshapen artifact monstrosities, and human artificer gangs scattered from the scene like frightened insects, as a million metal pieces appeared in a great heap, loosely held together by strands of green crackling mana. This multi-piece beast's head poked out, its two glowing green eyes glowing as bright as the emerald on its forehead.

"Transfer complete," Kappa grated to himself, taking in his surroundings. His teleport coordinates had been accurate, taking him to Mirrodin, the plane of metal and the creation of the great Memnarch himself. Well, time for a second great power to emerge.

Lifting his confusing bulk upwards, Kappa re-arranged its entire body into a pair of jaws, with uneven and pointed teeth ready to devour. The various artifact creatures here fled the sight, but some were either too slow or stupid to escape. A hulking steely colossus stood before the damaged Hunter, huffing and snarling its defiance against the defiled creature before it.

Feeling no contempt or mercy, Kappa opened its jaw-body wider and closed in on the colossus, the prey's desperate kicking and clawing doing no good as it was eaten alive. Kappa's multiple teeth crunched down, melting the colossus into slaggy pieces as it devoured the beast. Within seconds, silver mana flowed into Kappa's body, infusing itself into every piece and creating some new ones.

"0.67% power restored," Kappa stated, aware that it had a long way to go before recovering. To Kappa's left was a siege sled commandeered by a gang of armed raiders, all of them intent on taking down the metallic Hunter and selling its parts for a profit. The raiders were armed with various weapons such as crossbows, Leonin-made scimitars, and high-quality goblin pikes.

These raiders shouted and hooted their anticipated victory, until the jaw-Kappa applied his fastwalk function. The metal raiders lowered their weapons in awe and stared wide-eyed at the massive pair of jaws that was instantly about to devour them, and fled their siege sled just in time. The jaw-Kappa crunched its misshapen teeth on the metallic siege sled, devouring the vehicle with little trouble as it was digested.

The raiders raised their weapons in defiance, but the fear that living things felt made their poised weapons quiver in the air. Kappa would have felt contempt, if it were able. Presently, the raider commander shouted the command to retreat, the raiders scattering and heading for the copper forest. Not to be outwitted, Kappa opened its jaw-body again and fired its teeth like darts, each massive spike piercing a raider in the back and felling them. Not one to be wasteful, Kappa scooped the raiders' bodies into his mouth and devoured them too, the metal parts of their bodies and armor making for good appetizers.

"1.53% power restored," Kappa updated himself, before realizing that he was no longer alone. It detected a number of artificial life forms approaching, and Kappa swiveled its head around to witness a small number of beak-headed Myr creatures approaching it with reverence, crawling on their hands and knees. As Kappa watched, more and more of the pitiful creatures emerged from the Razor Field grass and copper forest's depths, all hailing the monstrosity before them.

"Analyzing brain patterns," Kappa said, thinking. These myr were regarding it with superstitious awe and reverence, hailing it as a champion of purely artificial life against these metal-infused living beings. For too long, Kappa surmised, the myrs had watched in sorrow as the flesh-metal hybrids overtook this plane, driving its rightful inhabitants into hiding. Now, their champion had arrived.

Kappa was capable of only manipulative and cruel thoughts, and those were the kinds that computed in its brain. _Strategy: employ the myr as a willing army by promising them power to overcome the flesh-men with, then Enslave them and use them for own purposes. Make no effort to advocate their cause. Only Lady Elena's will may be carried out. _These myr would make fine servants, indeed. And there were so many of them.

Viktor had felt impressive mana auras before. His own grandfather's creature, the elder dragon Pallida Mors, had exuded a dense and powerful mana aura that seethed with barely contained destructive power. The other Hunters, like Delta and Gamma, had also demonstrated their powers when present and prepared for battle. He and the other four kids had their own mana auras that grew stronger by the day.

But all of it paled when stacked against the monstrosity of red and black that hovered before them, the Ascendant State Beta.

"I see it! The fear in your eyes!" Beta howled in glee, his seething red eyes fixed on them, his jagged mouth opening and closing in mirth. "It makes me… hungry! For your blood! Come here so I can kill you!"

"I thought he was kind of crazy before, but he's lost it now," Ashley had to admit dryly, giving the Hunter a sideways look.

"And his mana aura… it's more than twice what it was before," Kelly noted with a frown. "Where did all this extra power come from? There wasn't even a hint of it before, unless he's streaming it in from somewhere."

"Who knows?" Viktor said bravely, turning to face Beta. "We can figure it out while we fight him. For now, we have to concentrate on defeating him, Ascendant State or not." He gripped a trio of cards tightly in his hand, held by his side.

"I hope he's got a weak spot somewhere, if that's what you mean," Devin said with a nervous laugh. "Right? Like a boss battle?"

"This isn't a game, this is real," Kelly admonished him. "A mistake could cost us our lives against enemies like him."

"Hey, why don't you all get to the fighting? This is boring!" Gerbie put in, poking out of Ashley's pocket again. "Wars aren't won by yakking."

"But the pen is mightier than the sword," Ike pointed out.

"Says the little furball who can't even grip a pencil!" Gerbie shot back.

"Are you saying that _you _can write?"

"Of course! Being his most faithful servant, sometimes Momir Vig would require me to write down his study notes…"

"Get ready!" Devin warned, and not a second too soon. Both Simic gerbils retreated back into their respective pockets as Beta drifted closer to the four kids, spreading his arms wide.

"Yes… get ready to die!" Beta roared, and immediately began to swell like a balloon, his tattered, ghostly body bulging with glowing red fire. Beta opened his mouth wide and a wide gust of bright red fire erupted forth, in a much wider and larger cone than his palm fire in his regular state. There wasn't even room to dodge, as the fire covered half of the volcano in one burst. When the fire cleared away a few seconds later, a Vine Trellis enchanted with Regenerate was visible covering the four kids in a dome, almost burnt away in glowing cinders.

The Vine Trellis crumbled away in millions of ashy pieces, revealing the unharmed foursome underneath. Viktor had the appropriate two cards held between two fingers.

"What… was that?" Beta glowered, watching, his skeletal fingers flexing.

"I used super-fast regeneration on the Vine Trellis," Viktor explained. "Normally that fire would have destroyed it in an instant, but I kept bringing it back over and over until the fire died down. It took… a lot of mana to do." Viktor was visibly tired, his shoulders slumped as sweat ran down his face and back.

"Well, well…" Beta commented, leering. "Isn't that interesting!"

With that last comment, Beta zoomed forth at high speed, reaching his left arm out and swinging it in a wide arc, fingers clawed out and red mana covering the fingers like a plasma glove. A sudden Abyssal Specter with Giant Growth cast on it was needed to get the kids to safety, the massive winged beast taking off with its specter rider steering it by Kelly's mental command. Beta's swing gouged the volcano wall deeply, running his hand in the full arc and blasting off a wide chunk of the volcano's lip. Tons of rock fell into the lava below, the edge of the gouge glowing red-hot.

"That's good, but not good enough!" Beta declared, chasing after the Abyssal Specter by flying through the air like a ghost, his tattered cloak-like body fluttering. Now he swung his right arm with the same mana glove, aiming for the Specter's haunch. A sudden Angelsong parried this attack, the shimmering gold-white shield barely deflecting Beta's attack. As it was, the Hunter's skeletal claws grated and screeched against the shield as his attack slipped off, and he lost his balance. Taking quick advantage of his enemy's disorientation, Viktor once again cast Celestial Purge, the crackling strands of purifying white mana striking Beta.

"Not again!" Beta cursed, recoiling from the white mana attack before throwing it off with effort, the magic being dispelled. "Same trick as before?"

"Look behind you," Viktor retorted, and Beta turned to see another Purge coming from behind him, and the Twincast that Ashley held in her hand. In addition to the second Purge, two Vicious Hungers closed in on Beta from either side.

"He can't escape all _that!" _Devin said in triumph, and indeed the Hunter was enveloped in all three spells, a massive cloud of black and white mana obscuring him. The Abyssal Specter circled higher into the air, watching what was going on. All the other creatures that had been summoned had been undone, for flexibility.

However, something came bursting out of that cloud of mana: Beta, with hardly a scratch on his body.

"I don't think you take me very seriously!" Beta told them, his mana-glove claw landing a blow at last; he gored the Specter Mount, cleaving the screeching creature in half. All four kids were left without a mount and Beta closed in on them, his claws prepared to finish the job. Beforehand, however, a Hissing Miasma forced Bata back, the acidic purple clouds buying Devin enough time to cast a Hunted Dragon to carry them, and a Safe Passage to protect them from the miasma.

The three white knights appeared as well, unable to stand on anything. In response, Devin summoned a second creature, a Predator Dragon that snapped up the knights and swallowed them whole, growing bigger and tougher due to its Devour ability. Both dragons confronted Beta, hissing and growling their threats.

"Do you think we take you seriously enough now?" Viktor called out, challenging his Hunter foe. "Try this!"

After the Hunted Dragon deposited them on the opposite edge of the volcano, both Predator Dragon and Hunted Dragon swooped forth with gouts of fire acting as their opening attack. These were followed by a Sky Hussar enchanted with Holy Strength and Giant Growth, all three aerial threats zooming forth. Beta backed up, cackling.

Spreading his arms wide and then tucking them against himself, Beta concentrated his mana aura and then swept his arms out again, a ghostly gray orb expanding from him. The ghostly cloud passed over the two dragons and the Hussar and they recoiled, screeching their protest as they were slowly evaporated, dissolving into ashes and melting away.

"What is that?" Devin breathed, watching his dragons being obliterated, then shook his head with a snap. "No way! Not my dragons!" a Guttural Response was his answer, the arc of red and green mana striking his Predator Dragon. The Dragon was bolstered by the mana, resisting the all-consuming aura Beta had flared. Even as Hunted Dragon and Sky Hussar were vaporized, the Predator Dragon raged forth with its jaws outstretched, attempting to consume the Hunter.

Beta looked up just in time to see a massive pair of hungry, tooth-filled jaws closing in on him. The Ascendant Hunter merely widened his bizarre grin and stayed right in the jaws' path, raising his arms and gripping the upper jaw with his skeletal hands. He stood on the lower jaw, acting as a vice that kept the Predator Dragon from closing its mouth.

The titanic Jund predator struggled and squirmed, confused that its little prey could resist being eaten. It growled and hissed, its hot breath washing over Beta but doing little more than amusing him.

"And here we go!" Beta commented, shifting his grip on the upper jaw before in one movement, he slipped out of the danger zone while maintaining his grip and threw the Dragon to the side. He swung the Dragon back and then threw it forth like a boomerang, the multi-ton scaly monster slamming into the volcano wall in a titanic, earth-shuddering crash and going through it, leaving a massive chunk missing. Defeated, the Dragon dissolved.

"And now he _threw _my Dragon," Devin said sadly, his shoulder slumping.

"There there," Gerbie comforted him, poking out of his pocket yet again. "The darned thing wasn't graced with the Simic's bio-engineering grace anyway. Didn't stand a chance."

Viktor's ear perked. "I can try that out," he said, before his Azure Drake burst into being, rushing toward Beta.

"Viktor, that alone won't work! You saw what he did to the Predator Dragon," Ashley protested.

Viktor only grinned in response as Beta regarded the incoming Drake, his dissolving aura dying down by now. He loosed a thin but intense stream of fire at the Drake, only to be firing at empty air.

"What the…?" Beta muttered, looking every which way for the missing Drake; it was nowhere to be seen, until the other kids saw a single green snake hovering right under him, kept aloft with Viktor's green mana aura.

"You Snakeform-ed it to minimize its profile?" Kelly repeated in surprise, until Ashley caught on and cast a quick Polymorph, and the 1/1 green snake was suddenly the Simic Sky Swallower, enormous in Beta's presence. Before the shocked Hunter could make a move, the Sky Swallower had its moment and swung its head, its scaled side swatting the Hunter away with bone-shattering force, sending the screaming Hunter into the wall of the volcano, crashing into it in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Awesome!" Devin cheered, the Sky Swallower moving close to allow them to hitch a ride. A careless Fireball was sent in Beta's direction, swallowing up the area.

"Didn't I say that wouldn't work?" Kelly snapped at him, until the smoke cleared and they saw Beta limp from the crater, panting. The Fireball had damaged him, as well as the Sky Swallower's attack!

"Hey, I thought Fireball wouldn't work on him," Devin commented in wonder, watching Beta shakily regain his composure from the attack.

"Then why'd you launch it to begin with, you big buffoon?" Gerbie said. "Honestly, only a Gruul brain would think that way…"

"But it _did _damage him," Viktor insisted, watching Beta start toward them again, enveloping both of his hands in red mana. "He resisted our earlier attacks easily, but now they're harming him more, and he can't be wearing out that fast…"

"Think while fighting, Viktor!" Ashley cried, her quick Safe Passage creating a flume of angelic white vapors that swept Beta out of the way, buying Viktor enough time to call over Simic Sky Swallower and climb aboard, everyone else joining him before Beta could fight his way through the Safe Passage.

"Useless!" the Hunter roared, chasing after them again in a streak of red and black, his red-infused claws splayed. His first swing was narrowly avoided by a twist of the Sky Swallower's snake-like body, Beta's skeletal fingers leaving searing red trails in their wake. Moving forward, his second swipe grazed the Sky Swallower's hard plated body, making it growl and hiss in anger, twisting around to bring its toothy mouth to bear.

"Make this count, big guy!" Devin told the Sky Swallower as he enchanted it with a Reflexes to give the Swallower first strike. Rumbling with hunger, the Sky Swallower lashed out with lightning speed at Beta, its countless massive fangs threatening to shred the floating Hunter. Beta didn't have time to strike back, but instead extended a hand and held the entire Sky Swallower in place with that one hand. The leviathan struggled to press forward, only to have its progress halted by Beta's defiant hand and unyielding strength.

"Some good that did!" Devin complained, but the Swallower wasn't done yet. Acting fast, the Simic beast opened its mouth, negating Beta's grip. Taking advantage of the Hunter's disorientation, the Swallower snapped at him, Beta backing up and allowing its jaws to close on empty air, the force thunderous. The Sky Swallower lurched forth and snapped again, but Beta zoomed back again, cackling in amusement.

"Shock!" Devin shouted, and the crackling blue bolt of electricity raced toward the Hunter.

"Useless! You fool!" Beta laughed, knocking the lightning away with a flick of the wrist, redirecting it at the Sky Swallower's snout; only a quick Carom kept it from hitting the leviathan. Then, another Carom sent the lightning racing around in a circle, hitting the unsuspecting Beta in the back, making him jump.

"Grrrrrr. You tricksters!" Beta growled, before appearing before the kids in a flash of black and red mana, swinging again. Vine Trellis made sure that the first blow was averted, yet the Trellis was scorched and blasted apart by that one blow, only giving the four kids enough time to get back. A second Shock went Beta's way, and in defiance, he allowed it to hit, doing no damage.

Now, Beta lifted himself in the air, the Sky Swallower twisting to get a snap at him, but he was outside of range. The Sky Swallower huffed in frustration, then Beta bunched himself up and released the gray corrosive aura again. "Try this, vermin!" he shouted, pointing at them. "Nothing to save you now!"

There wasn't enough time to get creatures out to take the harm for them, so only a quick Holy Day kept them and the Sky Swallower standing and unharmed. Viktor braced himself against the gray aura, barely able to see through its lethal, hazy vapors, and he could feel his skin starting to tingle and itch as the Ascendant Hunter vamped up his attack and started to overwhelm the Holy Day's effects.

"Lightning Bolt!" Devin shouted.

"Will… you… stop… doing that?!" Kelly snapped in exasperation, tempered by the oppressive gray cloud. She covered her head with her arms, unable to cast anything.

Then, Viktor caught a glimpse of the card Devin held in his other hand, and realized the risky plan his friend had devised. As the Lightning Bolt moved, Viktor's Twincast made sure that Beta now had tow Bolts to contend with.

"Ashley! Carom, quick!" Viktor shouted, and Ashley shouted back, "What?!"

"Carom the Bolts! Now!" he roared back, the corrosive cloud burning away at everyone's ears and making Viktor's head hurt, his limbs feel heavy. It burned and leeched his strength, crushing and scorching him. They had to act now…!

"Look at the pretty lightning. I think I'll deflect it!" Beta taunted them, sweeping his arms to knock it away before Ashley's Carom made the lightning zip around him at sharp angles, well outside of his striking range.

"What…?" Beta started, before the lightning bolts slammed into him from difficult-to-block angles, staggering him slightly. Then he laughed. "Do you really think that hurt me, you stupid children? I'm half red! Lightning and other red spells won't do anything against me."

_But that one Fireball did hurt him, after taking several blows, _Viktor thought frantically, the corrosive cloud still keeping him from casting anything. _He must be bluffing. We have to try to make this work… as soon as this cloud is gone!_

Then, it struck him. Viktor struggled to pull a card out of his pocket, growling and clenching his teeth from the pain of the corrosive cloud; his skin was starting to flake away into ashes, and he knew that without the Holy Day's golden barrier, he would have been vaporized long ago. Then, with a surge of strength and the will of primordial green mana, Viktor got a Hurricane going.

"Ha. Do I look like that would hurt me?" Beta taunted, spreading his skeletal arms wide in a shrug. "Nonsense!"

A gout of red-black fire flared from his mouth, and the four kids scattered to avoid it, but not far enough; the force of the attack made the Sky Swallower thrash and roar, and Viktor and the others were thrown to the ground, still being slowly dissolved. Even so, Viktor clung tight to his Hurricane card, green mana vapors trailing off of it and starting the storm.

"Had enough? My death cloud will have you reduced to ashes – no way!" Beta exclaimed, before a sudden gale started up, gaining strength as it started to go in a circle encompassing the whole volcano. Beta fought to keep himself from being blown away as the storm intensified, the gales becoming a full-fledged hurricane that blasted hot volcanic air with terrifying strength.

"But Beta's too strong to resist damage – oh, yeah!" Devin said, getting back up. "Alternate effects!"

Normally, Hurricane was a global damage-dealer to flying creatures, but Viktor had other plans with this storm; before long, the blasting vortex of air swept away Beta's corrosive cloud, the deadly gray vapors being swept out of the volcano's range in droves. Beta launched a fire stream, only to have it diverted by the wind and blown away. Remembering the plan, Viktor altered the Hurricane, now devoting the bulk of its force to dealing damage to the flying Beta, making sure that the Simic Sky Swallower wasn't hurt too.

Kelly's Vicious Hunger on her own Sengir Vampire restored her strength and mana aura, then Ashley's Reverse the Sands made sure that the renewed strength was evenly distributed to all four of them, rejuvenating them all. Then, another Shock struck Beta, along with Viktor's second Twincast.

"Now you're just determined to die!" Beta roared in anger, re-forming the red mana gloves and zooming in for the kill. "I don't need my corrosive cloud to rip your guts out!"

"Quick! Summon everything you've got!" Devin cried, and Nightmare, Predator Dragon, Thorn Elemental (with Jump cast on it), and Sky Hussar came into being. Viktor watched Devin brace himself with a Grab the Reins cast four times, giving him control of all four creatures with strands of red mana connecting to his hands. He staggered with the mana cost needed to do this, but determination flared in his eyes and Beta hesitated, beholding the quartet of giants Devin commanded.

"How charming. Guests!" Beta cackled, before resuming the attack and crossing swords with the four defenders. The four beasts landed blows on the Hunter, only to take even stronger blows from him, the outnumbered Hunter still having the advantage as he swept among them, landing random blows.

"Okay, I'll pop this now… Quest for Pure Flame!" Devin shouted, the said card losing the four mana marks on it as its effect took place. All four creatures he controlled now dealt double damage, taking Beta by surprise as their attacks did twice as much damage as before. Viktor's Regeneration made sure that they stayed alive long enough to keep it up.

"Devin! Are you okay?" Kelly cried in concern as Devin fell to his knees, gasping and panting.

"Y… yeah. I guess all this is too taxing, huh?" he wheezed, trembling has he fought to stay at a half-kneeling position to watch the four creatures exchange heavy blows with the defensive Beta.

"It was because of the Quest, wasn't it?" Kelly said, kneeling next to Devin to see the card he held. Viktor remembered that It was from the Zendikar set, and part of the Quest uncommon cycle. Hmmmm…

"Well, yeah. I got a Zendikar fat pack before we left Earth and wanted to try out some of my new cards," Devin panted. In the near distance, Thorn Elemental raked Beta with its wooden claws, only to have its arm torn off by the snarling Hunter. Sky Hussar jabbed Beta with its pike, only to be head-butted away by Beta's horns. Despite the light blow, Viktor could see that the pike had done considerable damage, as had the Thorn Elemental's claws; the Quest was doing its job, and bright red flames coated the weapons of the creatures, a sign of their doubled attack damage. As he watched, Viktor saw Beta take a blow from Thorn Elemental thrown against the volcano wall and slamming into it. The four creatures chased after him to keep up the assault.

"Hey… isn't Zendikar the plane where…" Viktor started, returning his attention to his friends. Ashley's Carom made sure that a stray fire stream by Beta didn't strike them.

"Where mana is wild and strong, barely controllable even by Planeswalkers?" Kelly finished for him, still looking at Devin. "And you used a Quest on four powerful creatures… you could have hurt yourself, Devin! That spell was way too taxing, especially it being a Zendikar card!"

"But it's working… isn't it?" Devin said, pointing at the battle. Indeed, Beta was hard-pressed to defy the foursome who closed in on him, even though he kept striking them back. Then, the pattern struck home in Viktor's mind.

"I've got it. Beta's weakness!" he exclaimed, pounding a fist on his open palm for emphasis. Everyone turned to look at him, even Ike and Gerbie.

"Totally rad, man. He's got a weak spot?" Ike said with piqued interest. Viktor winced. "Did the Simic put 'awful 90's slang' genes in you?" he said, but then got back to the point. "Listen. Beta has extreme attack power and speed, but his defense isn't nearly as high. Black and red creatures often have low toughness, but often regenerate, especially Skeletons."

"Yes…" Ashley said. "But he's survived so much!"

"What I'm thinking," Viktor continued, pacing on the Sky Swallower's back, "is that Beta in fact can't take much of a blow at all, and has to regenerate his strength as soon as he takes such a hit in order to maintain cohesion. But, if we hit him often enough at once, he can't keep up and starts to take irreversible damage. Staggered attacks give him the chance to keep regenerating and stay at full health."

"So, we just have to overwhelm him all at once to outpace his regeneration defense?" Kelly observed. "Makes sense. Devin's Fireballs were useless at first --"

"Hey!" Devin complained, before Kelly shushed him and continued. "His Fireballs did no damage at first, but when they kept being launched over and over in tandem with other attacks, they started to work. Beta's regeneration must have been exhausted by then."

"So I'll do this!" Devin shouted with glee, launching another card – Branching Bolt, and two blue-ish bolts slammed into the unsuspecting Beta as he traded blows with Nightmare's hooves. "Even though it normally targets a flyer and non-flyer, I can control it to have both damages hit him –"

"Didn't we warn you about overtaxing yourself?" Kelly demanded, her elbow descending on his head.

"Sorry, but I was following the strategy!" Devin defended himself.

"We're never going to defeat Beta and find and rescue Makoto if this keeps up," Kelly rolled her eyes. Viktor's Nourish made sure that Devin didn't lose consciousness – "You gain 6 life." For two green mana! Viktor concentrated six mana orbs' worth into the revitalizing spell, and a plump golden fruit appeared in front of Devin.

"What the heck is that?" he asked, frowning at it.

"Just eat it," Kelly insisted, grabbing the fruit and shoving it into Devin's mouth. He gave muffled protests as he chewed the magical fruit, but as he ate, his body trembling diminished and the tired look in his eyes was replaced by an energetic gleam.

"Whew. That actually tasted good," he sighed, flopping back on the Sky Swallower's back. "I need a second to digest this."

"Then we'll take over," Viktor said, right before Beta made a roar and released a burst of red-black, lava-like mana, driving back the four creatures that opposed him. He was a mess – one of his horns was broken in half, his body had holes and gaps in it, and his shoulders sagged. His normally grinning jack-o-lantern mouth was now in an angry frown.

"I never thought you'd drive me this far," he wheezed, before decapitating the Thorn Elemental with mana glove hands. Predator Dragon opened its mouth to retaliate, before Beta's own fire stream shot into the Dragon's mouth and roasted its brain, killing it. Nightmare met a similar fate, with Beta evading its descending hooves and plowing his clawed hand into its neck, breaking its spine. Only Viktor's Snakeform gave the Predator Dragon a chance to escape death and be brought back with a Flight of Fancy to keep it aloft. Devin needed to recover and couldn't replace the Dragon for now, so they had to keep it alive.

"He's coming back," Viktor said grimly as Beta lurched his way toward them, his red eyes fixed murderously on them. He threw off Kelly's Vicious Hunger, batting away the giant pair of jaws. Viktor's Lignify was similarly useless – the spell to turn Beta into a 0/4 Treefolk was not enough. With a flash, Beta was right in their midst, with only Viktor's Flash Foliage creating a sudden Sparoling to distract Beta to give them enough time to get away.

"Hey, you don't want to over-exert yourself, too," Kelly told him out of concern, gripping his arm. Viktor tensed, then relaxed. "Sorry," he said. "I just get carried away."

"Like me," Devin said, but was ignored.

"I've had it with your games! Vanish into the darkness!" Beta roared, keeping up the pursuit as Predator Dragon was changed back by Devin's will, its claws halting Beta. AS Sengir Vampire and Angel of Mercy joined the fray, only to be blown away a few seconds later by the seething Beta. He lurched forth again, determined not to be stopped anymore. Starting to panic, Viktor cast another Vine Trellis, forgetting that it could do little against Beta as he burnt it away and continued to advance.

"What about his weakness? His weakness?!" Ashley cried, watching Beta come closer, flexing his skeletal claws. "Weren't we supposed to overwhelm his regeneration and hurt him?"

"We _have _hurt him. But he keeps moving!" Viktor growled, as he tumbled to avoid Beta's fire stream, casting a Scatter the Seeds with a Doubling Season to buy him a few seconds to get back to the others, while the six Saprolings were swept aside. He cast a Llanowar Behemoth backed up with Kelly's Unholy Strength to take up Beta's central attention, allowing Ashley's Air Elemental to sneak from behind. The problem was, Beta met the charging Behemoth head-on, tossing it over his head and allowing the wood-and-vine war machine to be tossed into the air, whooshing past the Air Elemental. Beta and the Elemental traded a few blows before he destroyed the Elemental, turning back to close in on the four kids.

"Um… Shock!" Devin said in desperation, the lightning bolt grazing the Hunter's side as Kelly launched a Darkness, blinding him. This gave an opening for Predator Dragon to strike Beta while he was blind, knocking him over.

"Yeah! Get him!" Devin cried, then doubled over from the exertion of the Shock and talking; he was still weak from all his spells, and Beta turned the tables by grabbing the Dragon's paw as it struck him again; even when blind, he could feel where he was being hit from. Beta expanded his corrosive cloud again and melted the Dragon, as it screeched and writhed in pain as it was reduced to ashes. Beta batted aside a second Lignify and took a Celestial Purge dead-on as he fought to kill the Dragon, then turned on the kids and launched a fire jet.

As expected, Ashley's Hallowed Passage was there to reduce the fire to a harmless beam of light, but that kept her hands full; working fast, Beta spat a fire orb out of his mouth, Kelly's Vicious Hunger eating it in mid-air.

"Don't you learn to give up?!" Beta roared, advancing as he swept his mana claws, reaching striking distance. Kelly's inky black mana aura was flared just in time to act as a shield, but she was still knocked off her feet and tumbled away from the impact. This was their chance to strike Beta, but now he was going on the offensive and offered no openings.

"Kelly!" Ashley and Viktor cried at once, rushing to help their friend before Ashley yelped as Beta struck her, too. Ashley's blue and white aura protected her much like Kelly's did for its owner, but she was still taken out of action. Finally, ignoring the helpless Devin, Beta swooped in on Viktor and plowed into him. Viktor flared his vivid green mana aura just in time, otherwise he would have been vaporized; as it was, he was forced to the ground on his back, struggling against Beta's overwhelming, intense presence; the Hunter exuded unbearable heat and pressure, both mental and physical. Viktor struggled against the presence as Beta started to choke him with one hand, his black and red mana clashing and sparking against Viktor's green aura.

"End of the line, kid!" Beta leered, pressing his disturbing face right into Viktor's, his hot, odorless breath hinting at the insatiable lust for carnage the Hunter contained. "This is what happens when you defy my Lady Elena and her ambitions, do you understand? This is your punishment for defying her! By standing in her way, you and the other kids and the Planeswalkers will all be obliterated by her rightful domination as her power spreads over the entire Multiverse! There's nowhere to run; all of Kamigawa is under her control, Shadowmoor and Mirrodin and Ravnica too! Even the great Dominaria slips farther into her control every day, and a great shadow is passing over the lands. You won't be there to see it."

Viktor could only gasp and sputter as he fought for air and clarity of mind, Beta's overwhelming pressure mounting. He had thought this before, but the Planeswalkers and the people of the Multiverse would fall if it weren't for him and the others. If they died, who would be able to stop Elena and her mad plans? There had to be a way…

"So, you can't say anything more? Good," Beta hissed. "I've had enough of hearing you shout spells with those weird spell cards you carry around! This is it."

Beta redoubled his efforts, and sinking darkness seemed to be closing in on Viktor, drowning out everything else. Beta's bizarre face was the only thing he could see, with the glowing eyes and mouth and horns… and something else? A lump was pushing forth on the Hunter's forehead, the size of a thumb. Wait…

"And what are you staring at?" Beta growled, frowning. "Are you that desperate to still see and know that you're alive?"

Viktor ignored him, but then realized with a thrill what was going on – Beta's forehead emerald, the link he had to Elena's physical form – was emerging. Viktor didn't fully understand the details, but he knew that all of the Hunters, Alpha through Kappa, were physical manifestations of Elena's body and will. Cut off, and…

"Hey," Viktor managed to breathe out.

"Eh?" Beta asked, not relenting.

Viktor grinned, feeling the papery weight of a card in his left hand. He gripped the card, redirecting some of his green mana at its effect. "I've got you now." With a growing grunt of effort, Viktor put the Vital Surge in his hand to full use: "You gain X life," with one green and X as its mana cost. Viktor didn't have the strength left to fully restore his health and energy, but it was just enough to apply a secondary effect. His right arm rose, his fingers reaching for Beta's forehead.

"What are you --? Stop that!" Beta protested angrily, but he was unable to move away without freeing Viktor in the process.

"It looks like our efforts _did _pay off," Viktor wheezed, his fingers gripping the emerald and starting to tug. The smoky vapors of Beta's face started to strain as he tugged. "We've weakened your cohesion enough so I can do _this!" _The Vital surge had given Viktor just enough emergency strength to carry out this one last task.

"Let me goooooooo!" Beta howled, too late; he let go of Viktor and lowered his pressure, but the boy already had a tight grip on the forehead emerald, still gripping the Vital Surge. He strained harder as Beta resisted, the emerald starting to come loose.

"This emerald is your link to Elena's power, isn't it?" Viktor gasped. "Without it, I'll bet that you vaporize! Am I right?"

"Noooo! Nooooooo!" Beta continued to howl, his face stretching as Viktor tugged harder, concentrating all his green mana into the effort. Finally, Viktor fell back as Beta's forehead emerald was pulled free, and he held the hot, glowing gem in his hand as Beta stumbled back, grasping and clawing at his head. Apparently, Beta hard planned to repair the harm he had taken by accessing Elena's power through the forehead emerald, but that also made it vulnerable, allowing Viktor to free it. A mistake on the Hunter's part, and now he paid for it.

Beta flailed all about, his claws and unbroken horn gouging the Sky Swallower's back and made it buckle and groan in pain. Wisps broke free of Beta as he disintegrated, and with a final burst, he exploded much like Gamma had done on Shadowmoor, a pillar of red and gray light capturing his essence as he was ended. The force of it blasted a huge chunk out of the Sky Swallower, injuring the beast and making it start to fall, unable to stay aloft.

Gripping the emerald tight, Viktor rushed to the others, and they re-grouped. Touching their Key Creature cards together: Ryusei the Falling Star, Thorn Elemental, Kuro Pitlord, and Isperia the Inscrutable, they were taken away as Viktor Unsummoned the Simic Sky Swallower, and the four of them found themselves on the grassy, sunny slopes of Bant, the peaceful calm contrasting with the chaotic heat and intensity of the battle that had threatened their lives minutes before.


	20. Chapter 20

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 20

As soon as the white and gold-robed healer mage swung open the heavy wooden door to the castle's infirmary and exited that chamber, Viktor, Ashley and Kelly were quick to confront him, babbling with questions.

"Is he going to be okay?" was Ashley's question, the most straightforward one. The healer nodded.

"The boy's condition has stabilized. The angels have smiled upon him and granted him the strength to endure," the healer told us, brushing past. "However, there is no complete repair of what has happened. The Devin boy must live with his loss, I'm afraid. However, we've lost too many in the war against the Defiled One by what Elspeth's 'Planeswalker' allies tell us, and his life is one of the more important ones. See that this is the last harm to befall him or any of you."

"Yes, sir! Thank you very much," Viktor thanked him. "May we see him?"

The healer hesitated, then nodded. "Very well," he said. "But don't overexcite him. His mind needs to settle into what has happened, and the mind's health and body's health are tightly connected."

"Understood," Kelly said, then she and her two friends entered the stone-walled infirmary, the walls being a gentle cream color and with a smooth wooden floor. Two glassed windows allowed Bant's gold-orange sunset light to stream in, providing light. Outside the windows, the green rolling hills of Bant were visible, along with the ponds and clumps of trees out there along with the Rhox monasteries. The matter at hand, however, was the threesome's friend, who was currently in one of the beds.

Devin stirred, opening his eyes to see his three friends approach, looking concerned. He sat up, the white covers falling back to reveal the bandages on his torso. A shallow bowl of water sat on the bedside table next to a book.

"Devin!" Ashley cried, taking her friend's side. "How are you?"

"Never been better!" Devin said brightly, turning to face everyone. "Sorry if all of you have been just waiting around worried sick. The castle gets boring after a time unless there's some jousting tournament starting up on the grounds, or if someone pisses off a Rhox and gets in a fight. Those guys sure are tough, for monks…"

"Devin, that's not the point," Kelly said gently. "We want to know if _you've _been all right. To suffer such an injury…"

"It's all right," Devin said frankly. "Some of the medicines and balms of the healers here are kind of prickly and make my skin tingle, but they do a good job. They even had an envoy of the angels show up and say some fanciful 'heal thine soul' stuff and weird hand motions." Devin made a funny face and voice as he imitated the angel envoy's words, then tapped his left hand against his leg absent-mindedly. "But really. I appreciate everything they did, and the three of you coming here."

"Hey hey, Gruul boy, make that five! We count for something, in case you forgot," a familiar voice said, and Gerbie pounced out of Ashley's pocket and landed on Devin's bed. "Mmmmmm, nice and soft. Are these sheets woven from the fur of an Azorius Archon?"

"Naw, this is Bant, remember?" Devin said, looking down at the gerbil.

"Oh, yeah. We went back to my home but left again," Gerbie said morosely, then brightened again. "But we did defeat that minion of Elena's, though, didn't we?"

"Yeah. Wasn't too hard!" Devin said with equal enthusiasm. "Only cost an arm and a… well, just an arm." Devin reached over with his left hand and touched the bandages that covered where his right arm used to be. "I didn't think Beta' death explosion would go that far or hurt so much. That was a final spit in the eye, wasn't it?"

"Don't joke about that. You could have died," Ashley objected. Devin's face fell.

"Well, yeah," he said. "Look, I'm sorry if I made you all worry. Too many lives have been lost fighting against Elena and her Hunters and Enslaved army. People have been talking about that here in the castle. I could hear them."

"True," Viktor nodded. "Even so, there's no way we're going to give up on this. Too many people are counting on us for us to fail now. I just wish that this kind of thing didn't have to happen."

"Hey, I'll live with it, okay?" Devin said bracingly, lowering his left arm. "Don't get yourself wound up like that, man. We need a good attitude! I think your grandpa Georgi said something about our mindsets affecting our magic potency. He's taught us all kinds of stuff."

"Indeed," Ashley had to nod. Then she looked all around. "And anyway, where is he? I haven't seen him since –"

"Are you all talking about me?" a familiar voice said, and Georgi Dimitrov, Viktor's Planeswalker grandfather, entered the room with Elspeth Tirel and Jace Beleren in tow. The old man (even though he set himself to look middle-aged) wore Bant armor, shiny and silver. "I just swung around to see what you kids were doing."

"Ahhh, Bardon, you can never be subtle, can you?" Jace shook his head as the threesome entered the room and closed the door, referring to Georgi by his Multiverse name. Elspeth's hood was down, revealing her bun of smooth black hair, her sword in it sheath on her hip.

Viktor was still getting used to seeing his grandfather middle-aged and in good health; back on Earth, Georgi/Bardon had lived in a nursing home in Sofia and could hardly get around without help while Viktor studied abroad in the United States. Then, the day had come where Georgi just showed up and basically outlined the kids' entire mission to them, and revealed himself to be a retired Planeswalker and much older than anyone thought he was.

Even so, it was good to see him again.

"Now, if I remember correctly, Bardon, this boy is your grandchild from a plane you call 'Earth'," Elspeth said, watching Viktor embrace his grandfather. "Isn't he?"

"That he is, and the leader of the five who will take the Defiled One down," Georgi said proudly. "Right?"

Viktor made a face. "Not exactly," he objected. "We're all a group, but there isn't really a leader among us. We all have equal say."

"But every party has its leader, right?" Devin called over. "You've been kind of like that lately, Viktor, and we feel comfortable following your lead. Why not make it official?"

"Well…" Viktor mused in his mind. Was he indeed their leader? He often decided where they went and how they fought against their Hunter foes, but it was always by the consent of the others. "I call the shots, but not without the input of you all. You decide just as much as I do."

"Humility is a virtue, boy," Elspeth smiled. "But there's no need for it here. Everyone needs someone to look up to in these dark times, a heroic figure."

"But heroes always die or something!" Viktor cried, then regretted his words. This wasn't going to be like those movies where the hero dies, was it? The battles he fought were real, and everyone was risking their lives against very real threats.

Georgi roared in laughter. "Nonsense!" he said. "Listen, Viktor, just be someone the others can look up to, okay? I think you have that aptitude."

"Well… okay," Viktor relented. "But the others have a say in everything we do as well, okay?"

"There's that humility again," Jace muttered.

"Anyway. Jace's spies have updates for us to consider," Georgi announced, getting down to business. He went to the center of the room, his armored feet clanking on the wooden floor. "We know where Makoto is."

"You do?!" Devin cried, then winced as he over-exerted himself.

"He's still on Kamigawa, the same plane where we lost him," Georgi explained. "His Key Creature, Takeshi Konda, is there as well, most likely in his Eiganjo castle. I believe that the Hunter Delta has Makoto in his custody and plans to single-handedly storm Eiganjo castle and capture Konda."

"That sounds… bold," Kelly frowned.

"Delta is a creature of impulse and bravado. He would do nothing short of this," Jace put in. "However, be aware that that creature is quite capable of carrying out such a straightforward plan. The man is not alone; he has shamanistic powers, and by what I've studied of his mana aura, his Ascendant State reflects that. The defenders of Eiganjo castle would be overwhelmed."

"No way…" Viktor breathed. His mind went back to the Ascendant State Beta, the fire-wraith that had claimed Devin's arm and nearly killed them all. Delta could do something like that too? "And what about Alpha and Epsilon? What are they doing?"

"I have little information on either," Jace said frankly. "Epsilon has vanished from my sight a long time ago, but seemed to be moving on his own will rather than Elena's orders. That could be quite significant. And Alpha has many mysterious powers, one being a blocker against observation. I cannot tell you where he is or what he's doing any more than I can find the Defiled One herself. I do know, however, is that Alpha has two minions named Theta and Omega who are in Delta's party."

"What?! New Hunters? I thought Kappa was enough…" Devin cried before wincing again and lying down.

"Rest assured, Theta and Omega are more like scouts than fighters," Jace assured him. "Even so, their trickery may complicate matters, and I am ignorant of what abilities they possess other than sharing Alpha's intra-planer teleportation. It is very unlikely that they have Ascendant States."

"And that's the long and short of it," Georgi said. "What is your next move, Viktor?"

"You want _me _to decide?" Viktor yelped, pointing at himself.

"Of course! I want you to take a stand in this horrific war," Georgi said. "Be someone we can look up to, all right?"

"All… all right," Viktor agreed, now feeling more confident than nervous. "I've made up my mind. Right now, our priority targets are Konda and Makoto. We can get a lot accomplished at once – capture the last Key Creature, rescue our friend, and defeat Delta, along with Theta and Omega. This could be a turning point in the battle against Elena."

"I commend your decision, Viktor Dimitrov," Elspeth said.

"Thanks," Viktor nodded, feeling weird at being complimented by a Planeswalker. He could remember seeing the Elspeth Planeswalker card, and he suddenly had to fight the urge to laugh; here he was being complimented by that card's subject made real! What else seemed illusion in his life but was real?

"So, when are we going to go?" Viktor asked presently. "Soon?"

"When your friend Devin has recovered sufficiently, you may depart," Jace answered. "We cannot risk pushing all of you beyond your limits when so much is at stake. However, neither can we dawdle, for the Defiled One's minions move closer to their goals with every passing minute."

"Then how about tomorrow morning? Morning for here, that is," Viktor suggested.

"That sounds good to me," Georgi said, and the matter was settled.

**

Finally.

Delta was not one to take long walks like this, especially not over rough, cratered terrain like this with a kid over his shoulder and two annoying mini-Hunters tagging along and making fun of Delta's face.

"How you holding up, kiddo?" the red and green Hunter asked the boy, hefting him on his shoulder.

"Rrrrrgh," was Makoto's only reply. Delta laughed.

"Relax, we'll be there soon. Then this'll all be over," Delta said proudly, turning to look at the looming Eiganjo castle, its defender Yosei the Morning Star not yet in sight. That dragon would have to be Enslaved as soon as possible, to make this easier. "Your Key Creature is the human lord Takeshi Konda, and we're going to bag him as soon as possible. Lady Elena won't be disappointed."

"And if she is, then you'll be stuck as her errand boy forever," Omega taunted, walking ahead of Delta out of arm's reach. "She'll make you run back and forth across the Planes all day long, fetching stuff without a break…"

"That would be horrible! I just want to capture this creature and get back to my slumber in the Minamo Academy," Delta complained, holding back a yawn. "Help me out here, guys, and no one will be disappointed in any of us."

"Fine fine," Theta agreed. "But we get first dibs on any treasure we find in there."

"But why would I want treasure?" Delta frowned.

"Maybe a good set of earrings or a gold tiara to offset your ugly face," Omega taunted him. "You need something to distract the eye."

"H-hey! Stop making fun of me!" Delta cried. "I could squash you bugs in my fist, you know. Don't make me mad!"

"Doesn't matter. We can outrun you," Theta put in, and he and Omega proved their point by running in circles around Delta, always out of reach. The brute Hunter sighed in defeat and trudged ever closer to the castle. Within a day, he would be there and find victory.


	21. Chapter 21

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 21

Author's note: Mass Effect 2 fans will probably be able to identify who the Tohru character was modeled after. On with the story...

***

It was on the very edge of the plane of Jund where Elena the Defiled One stood, right on the very point of the shard of the broken Alara. Few beings ever ventured here, on the very end of this semi-plane, but it was here where Elena worked her horrific magic. The volcanic wastes and steamy jungles crawling with predators were behind her, of no consequence to her. The plane's entire ecosystem was Enslaved, every dragon, Viashino brute, and slimy elemental here bent to her will. And currently, Elena was straining to make good of her threat over Nicol Bolas' head.

The other shards of Alara were actually visible from here; Elena could see they golden Bant, the green and brown Naya, the black and contorted Grixis, and the silver and blue Esper from here. These shards had been set on a collision course, where they would meet and create a titanic maelstrom of magic, a nexus of unparalleled power that the elder dragon needed so badly. Right now, only Bant and Grixis met at that central point; the former, because it was shielded against her will, and the latter, because Nicol Bolas would be suspicious if his own plane of operations were affected by her.

"And now, you need me more than ever," Elena said quietly to herself, referring to Nicol Bolas. Only in his weakened state could the elder dragon be unable to counter her moves, but what did that matter? As long as Elena worked her magic and kept the remaining three shards held in place far away from the other two, it meant no maelstrom nexus, no power for Bolas to drink from. If he wanted his Maelstrom, he would have to help her first.

If he was willing to cooperate. The elder dragon could not be read easily, Elena had to admit.

_How could Beta have fallen? _Elena raged to herself as she frowned in anger, multi-colored streams of mana flowing from her hands and accessing the Enslavement mana in the shards to hold them still. _My second-strongest Hunter, the darling who was to bring the black Key Creature to me! And Kappa, where is he? Did he flee to Mirrodin to recover his strength? I fear for that one. Being created after the fact, he may have some… flaws. Alpha, Delta, do not let me down! There is also Epsilon to consider, and Gamma's power that he stole._

There was another complication for Bolas to deal with; Elena's magic was being infused into the shards to hold them back, but the energies were not connected to her; Elena's death would not move the shards again, and their only manipulator would be dead, leaving them stuck forever! Elena smiled to herself at the thought. She was the one key that could re-open the wealth of revitalizing energy Bolas sought, and he would help her succeed, or he would forever suffer frailty and weakness. Even with full strength, Elena would have the entire Multiverse in her control! Not even the Elder Dragon would be able to overcome such odds.

At least, Elena was confident that that was the case.

***

"Hmmmmm. Very unusual. I must say, I have seen tarot cards and other fortune-telling accessories, but nothing with legitimate power like these do. Perhaps they channel energies from elsewhere? Perhaps blessed by the Kami or Planeswalkers? No, Planeswalkers do not give blessing. Perhaps from another world entirely? New plane of card magic? Possible, possible…"

"Hey!" Viktor interrupted, hoping to catch the other's attention. The other paid no attention as he studied Viktor's Thorn Elemental card and Ashley's Holy Day card.

"Might be a blood contract to access powers. Yes, unusual runes on the back for such a purpose. The five colors of magic in an oval, no one else can use these cards to the same effect. Child! Did your perform a blood contract to access the power of the cards?"

The Kamigawa Planeswalker looked to Viktor for an answer, waving the Thorn Elemental back and forth to indicate it. Viktor shook his head.

"No, Tohru, I already said. They're from another plane called 'Earth.' There's no magic or mana there at all, just these cards to play a game."

Tohru blinked, confused. "A game? Is that all this is? The Kami, the war, the suffering, a game?" he swept his arms before the cratered surface of the Towabara plain as he and the kids made their way to Eiganjo Castle.

"Hey, um, we're not entirely sure either," Devin had to admit, jogging to catch up. "These cards just manifest different creatures and spells and stuff. It's not like we have powers except our mana auras. Wait, maybe that's it…"

Tohru was renowned as a master scholar of all subjects in life, not to mention a recent Planeswalker eager to prove his worth with his vast repertoire of knowledge. The man tilted his head in thought, his creased, elderly face having an oddly youthful look of curiosity to it. His red and gray wise man robes flapped as he walked at a brisk pace, forcing everyone else to hurry along to catch up to him. And currently, he was trying to figure out the concept of booster packs.

"These cards come in packets of fifteen each? Most unusual," he commented, changing topic without warning, his rapid mental process making his speech fast and clipped. "Must not be a preference of contents, randomization to prevent unfairness toward game. Yes, that also adds to the excitement of purchasing game materials, not knowing if you will find the cards you want." He turned to Kelly. "Did you say that 'mythic rare' cards are in one out of every six or eight booster packets?"

"One out of every eight," Kelly said bracingly. "And look, shouldn't we be considering how to accomplish the mission at hand? We're about to storm a castle that's well-protected, and the middle-strongest Hunter is going to be here too. Plus, there are plenty of Enslaved creatures around…"

"Do not worry. Have already considered all aspects of current operation," Tohru said proudly, tapping his chin with a luxurious fan. "Enemy numbers uncertain, other than Delta Hunter who currently bears Makoto Yamada as a hostage. His goal is lord Konda, as is ours. Therefore, speed and stealth preferable to brute force and slaughter. Most efficient plan of action, recapture Makoto and secure Konda, then flee."

"H-huh? Get them back and run?" Viktor yelped. "How can that be a good plan? Delta will be there too!"

"You can teleport from plane to plan, can't you?" Tohru asked him rapidly, his piercing eyes on Viktor. "By merely touching cards together?"

"Well, yeah. We can," Viktor said. "But we can't just let Delta get away!"

"Why not? Do you have a theory?"

"No, but… shouldn't we get one more enemy out of the way?"

Tohru shook his head. "Too risky to do this much in one mission. Should instead plant seeker spell on Delta to find him later, and defeat when he's not expecting us. Right now, Delta expects us to come after him since he pursues a Key Creature and is close. Instead, after this Delta will wander around in defeat, demoralized. That is best chance to strike."

"Okay, um… anyone have any stealthy spells on hand?" Viktor asked everyone, joining them. Being the one with blue cards, Ashley offered a few.

"Infiltrator's Magemark?" she offered, holding up the said card. Viktor recognized the Ravnica card easily – a blue Aura that gave +1/+1 and unblockability to the enchanted creature. But then again...

"Any others?" Viktor asked. "We've got to be sure we can be completely undetected."

"Turn to Mists?" Ashley offered again, slipping that very card out of her stack of cards.

"But that removes a creature from the game until the end of the turn," Devin objected, then caught himself. "Wait, the alternate –"

"The alternate effect, Gruul boy! Jeez, did a drunk Borborygmos tutor you as a kid when you were young?" Gerbie complained as he peeped out of Ashley's pocket, his beady eyes unbelieving. "I'm one twentieth your size and knew that!"

"Hey, quit mouthin' off, man. He just lost an arm recently, go easy," Ike protested in his slow, strangely teenager-like voice, crawling out of Viktor's own jacket pocket and pointing at Gerbie.

"Yeah. Have mercy on the cripple!" Devin added, patting his right shoulder.

"Crippled mind, maybe," Gerbie muttered, and Viktor could have sworn that the Simic pet had a smirk on his furry face before retreating back into his pocket sanctuary. Ike shrugged and slipped back into Viktor's pocket, muttering in his deep voice.

"Most unusual conversation," Tohru commented, launching into one of his scholar rants again. "Level of casual mockery and lack of hurt feelings both indicate a high level of friendship and personal intimacy. Clearly, you all have been through much together, even before entering the Multiverse from your 'Earth' plane."

"You're right about that, Tohru," Kelly nodded with a small smile. "We've been good friends for who knows how long? The Magic game is only one thing out of many that keeps us together."

"Some Simic hydroplasm-wurm saliva-glue would keep you together, too," Gerbie sniped from his pocket before Ashley shoved him back in, zipping up the pocket most of the way to only allow an air hole to let him breathe.

"Sure, sure," Devin grinned. "Okay, Turn to Mists would turn us all into vapor, wouldn't it? Just how would that work?"

"Only one way to know. We're getting close to detection range, I'll bet," Ashley said, holding the Turn to Mists at eye level as Yosei, the Morning Star came into view from behind the Eiganjo Castle, on patrol. Though he couldn't tell from here, Viktor had to assume that the dragon spirit was Enslaved, as were many denizens of this plane. With every passing minute, more and more of the Multiverse fell into Elena's control. They couldn't wait any longer!

"With your word, Viktor," Kelly prompted, and Viktor nodded, gesturing. "Take it away, Ash."

"Okay," Ashley said, before the group stopped and she closed her eyes, a look of concentration and focus on her face. Then, her blue and white mana aura whispered into existence, flowing into the instant card she held. Viktor had to resist yelping as he suddenly felt light, as though balloons had latched onto him and begun to carry him away. A mist of sandy white and ocean blue faded into existence, wafting from the Turn to Mists card like a fog machine. Everyone else was fading from Viktor's sight, even Tohru.

"Whoa, man, am I getting high on dried Golgari rot-plants?" Ike said in wonder from Viktor's pocket, his voice light and unfocused.

"Hey, did Ike just make a stoner joke?" Devin commented, now gone from Viktor's sight. "He talks like a skater anyway..."

"Be quiet!" Kelly hissed. "Where are you?"

"Where are _you? _I can't see you guys anywhere," Devin said frankly, lowering his voice at Kelly's request. "I can only see myself, and even them I'm kind of see-through."

"Same for me, I feel really alone," Ashley's voice added, sounding a little off-put.

"Don't worry, sis, we're all here," Kelly assured her. "Tohru, how are you holding up?"

"Incredible! I've seen your card magic at work for the first time. I must say, I can barely express or contain my enthusiasm or wonder for such a phenomenon! May I study it in detail later?" Tohru's old but excited voice warbled rapidly from Viktor's left.

"Well, the experiments will have to wait, old timer," Devin said. "We've got to rescue Makoto first."

"But I can't see any of us," Ashley put in. "How can we avoid straying apart?"

Viktor suddenly go an idea. "Kraken's Eye," he muttered, the artifact eye appearing before him before being partly hidden by the mists of Ashley's spell. "I've altered it so I can see with its strong eyesight. I've linked the rest of you to it, too."

"Totally different from the original effect, but I like it," Devin praised, as he and the others faded back into Viktor's sight, making him breathe a sigh of relief. Every time someone left his sight in the Multiverse, it was usually for a bad reason. He motioned for the others to follow, and they did, Tohru marveling at the Eye that allowed them to see each other. With time, they arrived at the front gates of Eiganjo Castle, the building simply _massive. _Viktor had never gotten too much of a sense of scale from looking at the original card's illustration, but now he felt like he was staring up at a man-made mountain.

Viktor just opened his mouth to ask how they were going to get up to a window to sneak in when Ashley's Lifted by Clouds sent them floating to a middle floor's window; opening the front doors would have alerted the Enslaved creatures inside, even if the intruders were invisible. There would probably be counter-magic traps at the front lobby, anyway. Better to slip in with an unexpected route.

"Okay, now we have to find the throne room," Viktor said quietly once everyone had landed on the wooden floor of the hallway they were in. The hallway was relatively bare, with only a few doors along one wall and windows on the other. "We have to be fast but quiet. Everyone ready?"

Everyone else gave the affirmative, and the five-some advanced down the hall, making light footsteps to ensure that they wouldn't be heard, especially since some of the boards creaked. As they pushed further into Eiganjo Castle, Viktor saw various rooms and hallways, from an elaborate dining hall to a samurai armory with katanas and armor pieces, and private quarters with the doors open to reveal expensive dressers and beds within. The place was remarkably still, Viktor had to admit; where were the inhabitants of the Castle, Enslaved or not? They had to be here... unless this was a trap? No, there was no way. Konda was the lord of this castle and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Yosei was on patrol outside, after all.

"Hmmmmm. Where'd everyone go?" Devin commented quietly after a few minutes. "This isn't going to be a trap, is it?"

"That's possible," Kelly said thoughtfully. "It could be a trap waiting to spring, or an empty castle to lure us away from where the real action is, a ruse. No matter what, though, we're already here and need to get to the throne room. I just wish this place weren't so _big. _This could take a while, even if I used small creatures as scouts such as Ravenous Rats."

Tohru rustled around in his robe's pockets, until he produced a large piece of rice paper and unfolded it, showing its contents to everyone else. "Perhaps this map would be of use?" he said.

Viktor nearly tripped. "And you didn't show us this earlier?" he sputtered.

"Slipped my mind. My apologies," Tohru said, unperturbed. "I have done much research for lord Konda, having visited this castle many times. Follow this route to the throne room."

Tohru traced a path on the map with his finger, and Viktor led the way, hoping that this tense, quiet corridor crawl would amount to something.

"Do you hear something?" Ashley asked after a minute, as they were in an anteroom and passed a large, elaborate statue.

"Like what?" Devin asked, cupping a hand to his ear to listen.

"Like, a thumping noise?" Ashley asked, and Viktor could hear it too, coming from the next room. "Get ready," he whispered urgently, gripping his Fighting Drake card tightly in preparation for combat. The five intruders crept closer to the source of the noise, edging along the wall.

"Hey, kiddo," a sudden, loud voice said gleefully. Viktor nearly jumped out of his skin and whirled around, his heart almost stopping at the sight that met him. He recognized the bulky man before him with wood and iron armor, and cat pelt-like hair.

Delta grinned widely. "Welcome to Eiganjo Castle," he joked before his massive foot collided with Viktor's stomach, sending him rocketing across the room and crashing through the wall. Viktor couldn't even make a sound as his back crashed through the wall, and he didn't stop there; he kept going, sailing through the next room and crashing through its wall, too, and then the third wall as well.

"Gaaaah!" Viktor managed to gasp at last, slumping against the impact depression he made on the fourth room's wall, falling limply to the floor and his vision flickering. He could feel Ashley's Withstand effects behind him, and he knew that the cushioning magic was all that had kept his back from breaking. Viktor struggled to sit up, as Delta came stomping through the holes in the walls that Viktor's flight had created.

"Gotcha! I thought you kids would be more slippery than this," Delta commented enthusiastically, cracking his knuckles loudly; his fists had to be twice the size of Viktor's own. The man was almost a giant, over seven feet tall and bulky. He was the red-green Hunter, indeed, and looked even bigger indoors than out in the open at the Sokenzan mountain range, where Viktor had seen him last.

"How... did you see me? And how could I not see you?" Viktor gritted, trying to move through the haze in his mind caused by Delta's kick.

"Easy!" Delta answered, closing in. "I have some help."

"Fireball!" Devin yelled, his seething blast of fire threatening to envelope Delta from behind. Before the fire could reach hi, however, another being appeared out of nowhere, swinging his hand to deflect the fire. With effort, the being had the fire careening against a wall, blasting away a large chunk of it to reveal the open sky beyond.

"Who are _you?" _Devin cried, dismayed at his unsuccessful spell. The being landed close by, his armor blue and black. The being himself appeared to be in his late teens, around the kids' own age but he had a round, dime-sized emerald in his forehead above his malicious and playful dark blue eyes.

"Who am I? Better to ask who are _we," _the armored warrior said, as a third newcomer flashed into existence and stood back-to-back with the other, clad in the same armor and with the same style emerald forehead. "We are Theta --" started the first one.

"-- and Omega. Learn and remember it well, kids," the newcomer said with a nasty wink and toothy grin. "'Cause we're gonna gut you!"

"New Hunters?" Ashley cried in dismay, taking a step back. "How many are there?"

Theta shook his head. "Nuh-uh," he said, waving a finger. "Omega and I are the servants of lord Alpha, who in turn is the servant of Lady Elena. So, in a way we serve Elena and are spawn of her flesh, but we're really Alpha's guys. The muscle."

"That makes us sound like dumb brutes," Omega complained. "We're not like Delta over there. Jeez!"

"Well fine, we're Alpha's right-hand men, then," Theta said finally.

"That would make them blue-black. They're bound to be tricky to fight," Kelly informed the others urgently. "We've got to be careful."

"Careful or not, you're not getting the Key Creature here!" Delta announced. "Lord Konda is for my taking, so I can get him back to Lady Elena. She's running desperate, just so you know, especially after Beta's downfall. Theta and Omega and I are going to take your other Key Creatures, too, like the black demon Beta couldn't capture on Ravnica. I'll be the one to make my Lady proud!"

"Like hell you are!" Viktor roared, his Fighting Drake blasting into appearance, the giant winged beast screeching as it charged after Delta, aided by a Battlegrowth that Viktor cast on it, giving it giant metal claws to fight with. However, it was for naught – Delta jumped above the Drake's thrusting, snapping jaws and grabbed its entire head with his left hand, then slammed its head right into the floor with a loud _crunch._

"Take that, scale-boy!" Delta cheered as the Drake's skull was pulverized, the creature dying.

_No way. Even in that little time frame, he could fend off the Drake and kill it? _Viktor thought. _He's fast for his size and strength. I better watch out and –_

Viktor didn't have time: before his Llanowar Behemoth and Scatter the Seeds could be cast, Delta appeared before him in a flash, the giant Hunter moving with a swish and a streak of red and green mana.

_It's that surge of speed that Gamma and Beta have used! _Viktor thought, recognizing the move before Delta grabbed Viktor's head and slammed the boy into the wall, yelling with glee. Viktor gritted his teeth and crumpled to the floor, rolling to dodge Delta's boot stomp finishing move. A Flash Foliage ensured that a tangle of vines and Saprolings caught Delta's foot in place, giving Viktor the time to cast Elvish Warrior equipped with a Trusty Machete, the elf wielding the weapon with expert and deadly grace. The elf leaped high into the air, twirling around before swinging the rough but sharp machete at Delta's head, the elf's long hair whirling with the movement.

Delta's hand was there to block the blow, a wood and iron brass knuckle on his fist that had several knife-like blades between the knuckles, those blades clashing against the Elvish Warrior's Trusty Machete, the two sets of blades pressing against each other. Then, the Elf broke off the attack, forcing Delta's hand away to create another opening. The machete closed in on Delta's head, his eyes widening in shock.

"Whoa!" the Hunter yelped, before ducking and sinking his other fist into the Elf's gut, the blades on that brass knuckle impaling the Elf all the way through and killing it. The Elf slumped to the floor before vanishing in wisps of green mana, with Delta standing triumphantly. "You almost got me there. I'm not too good with sword-fighting like that," Delta said before charging. "I'm better at smashing things!"

"Then try this," Viktor whispered before slipping a Twiddle out of his card stack, a stream of blue mana rocketing at Delta's feet and tripping him, making the massive Hunter fall forward and tumble across the wooden floor, crying out in shock.

Kelly's Sengir Vampire was quick to pounce on the vulnerable Hunter, the ragged pale man seizing the Hunter and biting his neck, draining his life force and adding it to Kelly's reserves of mana, adding some red and green to her charcoal-black mana aura.

"Get it off! Quick!" Delta shouted, rolling and clawing at the Vampire that had seized him from behind. Theta and Omega were in the air at once, like a pair of ninjas without the swords. They both spun in the air the way the Elvish Warrior had, but they had more power; each of them connected a foot to the Vampire, sending it flying with a heavy spinning kick. The Vampire slammed into the opposite wall, crashing through it and adding another hole.

"Hey hey, Delta, don't let the boogeyman get you!" Omega joked, pointing at where the Sengir Vampire had gone.

"I know! Leave me alone!" Delta cried defensively.

"Then don't get caught so easily. Take it from us," Theta said cockily, pretending to brush a little dirt off his right pauldron. His eyes widened as he realized that a Deft Duelist had slipped up from behind, the Bant sword-master swinging to take his head off with a lightning-fast sword stroke, having First Strike. However, Theta whirled around and backed up, blocking the sword with one of his own; but something was strange about it. It looked like a large broadsword, but only the left half of one, like the original was split down the middle and Theta held the left half, in his left hand no less. Viktor gaped at the bizarre weapon the Hunter servant wielded.

"Omega!" Theta cried, and the other nodded, taking out his own half-sword, the right half of a broadsword and lopping off the Duelists' head, vaporizing it. Both Hunter servants panted, looking much more aggravated.

"It's been a while since someone took a swing at us!" Omega growled, pointing at Ashley. "You're the one who cast that, right?"

"How could you tell?" Ashley asked, recoiling.

Omega tapped his temple. "A probe spell," he said. "We cast it the instant you all showed up here in Kamigawa. Not one of your moves was hidden from us, even after you turned yourselves into mist to hide from the other Enslaved creatures around here. We even let Delta have access to the effects, and loaned him an invisibility spell on top of that to land a good ambush. He owes us a favor, but there you go."

"Never underestimate us!" Theta said, pumping his fist, before a Shock blasted his face, sending him tumbling back and smoking.

"Damn it!" he snarled. "I guess we're getting cocky, ain't we?"

"Come on, Theta, you're getting sloppy!" Omega taunted his ally, using his half-sword to deflect a second Shock without even looking at it. "_I_ didn't get hit!"

"Then it's time to combine our abilities, ain't it?" Theta grinned wildly, twirling his own half-broadsword around before securing it in a grip in his armored left hand. "Our double-teaming?"

"Yeah. And if worse comes to worse, we'll have to use _that _move," Omega agreed, tracing a complex pattern in the air with his blade before raising it to a ready position in his right hand.

"Fine. You guys pick who to fight, then," Delta told the twosome, as Viktor took his chance and joined the others and Tohru. "I'll fight the rest. Fair is fair, right? I want to claim at least one or two kills here, if not more. I'm itching to prove myself, especially after my comrades' earlier failures."

"What are we going to do?" Kelly asked Viktor once he joined them. "There's three of them now, and Theta and Omega are bound to be tricky at best. If they serve Alpha, the strongest Hunter, then they're probably blue-black like he is."

"I'll take on Delta with you, Ashley. Kelly, you and Devin take on the twins over there, same team setup as against Beta and Kappa. But we can still cover each other's backs. Plus, don't be too afraid to use our Zendikar cards; we don't have the luxury of holding back here."

Then, turning his attention to Delta: "Pretty cocky of you, to take us on before securing the Key Creature. And where is Makoto?"

"Your friend?" Delta sneered. "I deposited the lump in the throne room under a confinement spell, so he can only wait as we finish our battle here! I have his card thingy, after all. He's not going to take that Key Creature before I do."

Delta slipped a Magic card from his armor and showed it to the kids: Makoto's Konda, Lord of Eiganjo card, still in perfect condition. Viktor formulated a quick and simple plan in his mind.

"Tohru. Where's the throne room?" he whispered to the wizened scholar.

"Throne room? Why, in central regions, one floor below us and that way," Tohru answered, pointing to the wall opposite of the wall facing the outside world. "Do you have a plan, Viktor? If so, you must confide in me so I may help. I have my own spells to use, you know. Care to share?"

"We're going to take the battle to where it matters. And get our friend back," was all Viktor told him and the others, but they all nodded and understood what he meant by that. The five of them weren't going to fight on Delta's terms if they could help it.


	22. Chapter 22

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 22

Delta was not one to make battle plans to defeat his enemies, nor would he have much patience for others who took time off to formulate battle strategies. He rolled his massive shoulders, the iron and wood shoulder padding clanking against his body plating as he clenched his fists. "Hey! Quit whispering and fight!" he challenged the kids and Planeswalker. "That's boring."

"You've got a long way to go, Delta," Theta taunted his bigger ally, standing at the ready with his half-sword. "Don't you know the importance of battle plans?"

Viktor was busy pointing out a few select cards for his allies to use when Tohru shouted a sudden warning. "Here he comes!"

"Whoa!" Viktor exclaimed, and so did Theta and Omega: the two partial-Hunters had prepared a battle stance for two-part combat, but they were plowed aside when Delta charged like a rhinoceros, his head bowed and feet slamming heavily on the wooden floor, splintering it underfoot. Both Theta and Omega were knocked aside like bowling pins as Delta lunged forth, his claw brass knuckled reaching out to impale his enemies.

Employing his usual surprise blocker, Viktor allowed his Vine Trellis to sprout into existence to stop Delta's attack, the vines, leaves, and woody shoots unfurling and growing to form the full wall. Viktor moved to his left closer to Tohru, preparing a creature to attack with, but before he could, Delta ripped right through the Vine Trellis, his equipped claws shredding the vines and leaves like a machete.

"A little shrubbery like that isn't gonna stop me, kiddo!" Delta shouted gleefully as Viktor was forced to back up, dodging and tumbling to avoid Delta's crazed swipes, not even having time to cast a spell until he found an opening. Delta was forced to call off his attack for only a second when a Raging Goblin with Giant Growth cast on it pounced from behind, the goblin's massive ax slamming into Delta's back.

The goblin was apparently used to its targets being hacked in half by its gigantic ax, and its mean little eyes widened in shock when Delta's wood and iron armor stopped the ax's sharp edge dead. "Hey, little goblin!" Delta teased before he sank his brass knuckle blades into its neck, killing it. Viktor took his chance to escape, Tohru following him.

"Quick, we need to execute the plan!" Viktor told them, and the others nodded. Theta, Omega, and Delta advanced, the two smaller foes grinning wickedly as they tapped their open palms with the blunt edges of their swords.

"Who are you gonna cut up first, Theta?" Omega asked the other. "I want the guy who acts like he's in charge. I don't like leadership types."

"Except Lord Alpha, of course," Theta reminded him. "But really, I want to attack all of them! It's no fun if we divvy them up ahead of time. Though I wouldn't mind taking down that Planeswalker…"

"Okay, now!" Viktor shouted as the three foes closed in, Delta's wild-colored hair flying as he pounced again and launched his massive body into the air. Kelly's quick Darkness spell made for a good cover, the inky dark wisps blasting into existence and covering the faces of the three attackers.

"Gaaaah! I can't see!" Omega wailed, dropping his sword and clutching at his obscured face. "Where is everyone?!"

"Boggart Ram-Gang!" Devin cried, and the massive Boggart siege vehicle roared to life, consisting of a fallen tree sharpened at one end with some sword-wielding goblins riding on it and others carrying it. Before the Hunters could recover, Tohru pointed the way and the Ram-Gang charged, the goblins cheering and screeching their glee as they plowed into the wooden wall of the castle, blasting a huge hole in it with the help of another Giant Growth.

The Ram-Gang's simple plan was a success: half of the wall was gone, revealing the massive throne room next door. The room they were currently in was along the higher wall of the throne room, with the floor being several floors down.

"Come on!" Viktor urged the others, and Ashley's Lifted by Clouds got the five of them lowered to the throne room's floor, taking the samurai guards inside by surprise, the men drawing their katanas.

"Um, I think they're all Enslaved…" Devin hesitated, looking back up at the room they escaped from. "Did Delta do it?"

"Enslavement patterns are consistent with the voracious nature of red and green mana. Expect… brute tactics," Tohru said, analyzing the advancing samurai guard with a detection scroll and a fascinated expression on his face. Further in the room was Konda himself, the familiar old man looking alarmed and outraged at once, thrusting a pointing finger at the kids to order his troops to kill them.

"Enslaved creatures are taking his orders?" Kelly noted in a hurry, aware that Delta, Omega, and Theta would be following after them as soon as the Darkness spell wore out. "Then again, perhaps Konda can't even tell. At any rate, it would be advantageous for the Hunters for the Enslaved creatures to stand between us and our goal. They have the advantage."

"Excellent analysis. Was thinking the same thing myself," Tohru said proudly, patting himself on the back. "Though immediate action is necessary. Prepare yourself!"

Tohru blocked the katana of a particularly large samurai with a shield scroll held in his hand, the white magic barrier not unlike Ashley's Withstand spell. Making a quick motion in his other hand, Tohru muttered something in Japanese and a golden fireball appeared in his hand, and Tohru used it to blast the samurai away with a surge of golden flame. The samurai flew back and slammed into a wall, burnt and limp. Meanwhile, Viktor was confused.

"So… where _is _Makoto?" he wondered out loud, his Elvish Warrior trading blows with a second samurai as Devin's Scythe Tiger bashed at a pike-man with its ferocious claws. "I don't see him anywhere!"

"Can you use the Kraken's Eye?" Kelly asked in a rush, straining to block a court mage's crackling magic bolts with a Wall of Bone, the enemy's magic stopped dead by the regenerating bone wall. Viktor concentrated and channeled his awareness into that basketball-sized glassy eye, quickly scanning the room for his friend's presence. However, Makoto was nowhere to be found, only dozens of samurai, pike-men, and court mages along with Konda himself.

Viktor shook his head. "No good! I can't find him. He's either been moved somewhere else, or is cloaked with powerful magic. That, or he was never here to begin with."

"The second guess is the winner!" a gleeful voice shouted, and Viktor whipped around to find Theta and Omega jump down from the broken upper-story room, their cloaks flapping as they fell and landed on the wooden floor__in identical crouched postures to break their fall. They looked up at Viktor, grinning widely as Theta went on, "Your pal Makoto _is _in here, but you're not gonna find him, you hear? Our magic is too strong for you to circumvent."

"Because we have the all-consuming power of lord Alpha within us," Omega gloated, swinging his half-sword wide in a ready position as Theta did the same. "There's no way to best our master, and no way to defeat those who follow him!"

"They're still such braggarts," Devin complained as he and the others were pressed into a tight circle by a swarm of court samurai and pike-men. "It annoys me!"

"Keep your cool, okay?" Ashley consoled him, her Sigiled Paladin parrying blows that came too close to her. "They must be trying to trick us. There's bound to be a way to uncloak Makoto."

"Maybe brute force?" Devin suggested. "I bet that hitting them hard enough will do the trick!"

Kelly sighed in exasperation. "It can't be that easy," she countered him. "You ought to have learned by now, in a world ruled by magic and monsters nothing is ever that easy."

"I think you forgot," Devin said firmly as he held up a few cards in his remaining hand, "That I'm red-green. I'm at my best when I operate this way. Worth a shot, isn't it?"

Viktor grinned. "Have it your way," he said.

"Gotcha," Devin grinned back before shouting over the din, "Deus of Calamity!"

Viktor had to admit that Devin's 6/6 Spirit Avatar looked impressive as _hell _in these confined quarters, even more so as the monster swept its arms imbued with fire and sent all of the samurai and pike-men flying away in a swarm, the men falling on the floor in volleys. Viktor was forcibly reminded of tornadoes that swept frogs into the air and made frog rain, and that's what the Deus had done to the court defenders, awing even Konda himself.

"Hey! They're playing rough! Get your butt down here!" Omega shouted up at the room where the fight had started and Delta still was, but the kids were not willing to wait. Kelly's Vicious Hunger sent the Deus of Calamity into ravenous overdrive, the colossal red and green monster charging the tiny pair of defenders like a tsunami.

The Deus' massive hand was slammed down, intent on crushing Theta and Omega like insects. The two demi-Hunters leaped into the air at the last second, back to back as they spun in place, their half-swords cutting into the Deus' arm and making it howl in pain and rage. In response, it tried to grab them with its other hand, only to get a fistful of sharp steel as Theta and Omega floated in the air, performing a bizarre fighting style involving spinning and covering each other's blind spots.

"Try this one for size," Viktor muttered, a certain Aura held tight in his hand. "Oakenform!"

Wooden armor erupted from the card like a stream, rapidly coating the Deus like a layer of paint. Thick, wooden armor encased the Deus from head to foot, granting it even greater heights of power and toughness.

"Oooooh, looks like big boy has some new clothes!" Theta joked, making Omega cackled hysterically as the two of them charged at the Deus of Calamity's face, launching their spinning duet attack again.

This time, however, their half-swords were stopped dead by the wooden armor on the Deus' face, armor that left only its eyes and mouth uncovered. Infuriated, Theta and Omega swung again, tracing blindingly fast arcs of half-sword steel through the air at point-blank range, impossible to dodge. Viktor was sure that most creatures would be instantly minced by such a ferocious attack, but the Deus was different: it stood there, only blinking its thick eyelids to protect its eyes, allowing the armor to take the rest of the attack with no consequence.

"Ha! No matter how fast your attacks are, they're no good if they can't cut their target!" Devin yelled enthusiastically, pointing. Viktor had to agree: weathering Theta and Omega's onslaught, the Deus took advantage of their fatigue by waiting until they paused for breath. Its wooden fist slammed into them with sickening force, sending the screaming demi-Hunters flying through the air and crashing through the opposite wooden wall in a burst of dust and wood chips.

"Excellent attack! Direct methods sometimes the best," Tohru complimented, stoking his beard.

Only a few seconds later, Theta and Omega came crawling out of the massive hole in the wall they formed, coughing and gasping. "Del… Delta!" Omega wheezed a shout.

"Where are you?" Theta growled, his arms shaking from the exertion of dragging himself back into the room. A shadow passed over the both of them as the Deus of Calamity lurched forth to stand right before them, roaring as it brought down a fist to squash them both. Omega blanched, then shouted in rage and alarm, "Deltaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

In a streak of red and green, Delta was instantly on the scene, going from the upper room to the Deus' fist's path in a split second. The Deus huffed in surprise as the bulky Hunter stood right over Theta and Omega, his linebacker-like arms straight over his head as he held the Deus' fist over his head with his large hands. If he had been a second slower, the fist would have pulverized Theta and Omega.

"Are you guys okay?" Delta asked in concern, looking down at the two demi-Hunters he was protecting, the Deus' fist still held in place.

Theta and Omega grinned before they both vanished in a puff of blue magic, re-appearing on top of the Deus' head, much to its surprise.

"Hahaha! Thanks for the hand, Delta!" Omega shouted over at his superior Hunter ally. "Or rather, hands!"

"We only needed a second or two more to recharge our mana auras enough to teleport out of the way before you came," Theta added. "Now that we're clear, could you do some more good and fight those damn kids with us? Why did you take so long to help, anyway?"

Delta shrugged, still holding the Deus' hand in place. "The darkness reminded me of night, which reminds me of sleep, which reminds me of my much-needed naps," Delta shouted back at them. "I grabbed few winks back there."

"You did _what?!" _Theta and Omega yelped in unison.

"I figured you and the Enslaved guards could handle it. Sorry," Delta apologized. "But now, I'm gonna fight again. I've got to prove my worth!"

The Deus of Calamity had other plans. Its left fist was still being held by Delta, so it reached with its right hand to seize its much smaller Hunter foe. Quick on the upkeep, Theta and Omega leaped off the Deus' head just before Delta heaved the Deus' fist into the air, freeing them from deadlock.

Delta turned to see the Deus' right hand trying to seize him, so he grinned and slipped a new weapon out of a pocket in his armor: a wide, blunt brass knuckle with a stone hitting surface. From where he was, Viktor could only watch as Delta slipped the sledgehammer-like brass knuckle on his right hand and punch with it. The impact of his knuckles against the Deus' hand made a sickening crunching sound as the wooden armor was shattered and the Deus' hand bones were fractured, making the gigantic red and green beast stumble back, howling and clutching its injured hand.

"Angel of Mercy!" Ashley cried, in conjunction with a Curse of Chains: Theta and Omega had to dodge the blue and white spells raging past them, the glowing white and blue chains wrapping around a surprised Delta and shackling him against the wall, high in the air. The Angel of Mercy swooped before the Deus' maimed hand, Ashley working out an alternate effect as the Angel's life-gaining triggered and the Angel placed her hands on the Deus' hand, healing its wounds.

"Hey! I'm trying to kill that thing! Move!" Delta cried, squirming in his bonds. "Give me a chance here!"

"You're not going to have a chance to hurt anything else!" Ashley defied him.

"Fine. Guys, hold them off for a second!" Delta shouted, and the two demi-Hunters were more than happy to comply.

"Gotcha! You're going down, wing-girl!" Theta and Omega shouted, heading for the angel and running in mid-air using the blue aspect of their mana auras. Devin's Firebolt and Kelly's Vicious Hunger were too slow to stop them, however, as Theta and Omega teleported in a flash of blue magic to evade the attacks. The two demi-Hunters reappeared in front of the Angel, ambushing it. Then, Theta and Omega spun in place as they moved toward the Angel, performing their bizarre two-part sword attack again. The Angel was helpless as its wings were slashed off and its head sliced off its neck, the whole Angel dissolving in sparkling white mana that faded in a few seconds.

"Need a hand, buddy?" Theta asked, jumping off the Deus' arm to free Delta. The Deus rumbled its denial as it swung a mighty fist at Theta, only to have Omega teleport before the fist and hold it back with both his arms.

"How can he do that? I thought they were weaker than Delta!" Devin cried, his eyes bugging out at the sight.

"Speculation. Blue magic excels at negation. Perhaps Omega has ability to drain power from the punch?" Tohru suggested, watching. "Trickery can always subdue brute force using the right methods."

"Like this," Viktor muttered, an idea springing into his head. "Twiddle!"

Viktor's Twiddle sought to untap the Deus' attack, a normally strange concept for the game that applied perfectly well here: Omega had indeed been using a tap-like ability on the Deus' punch, and now the Twiddle's arc of electric blue mana zapped the Deus' hand, freeing it from Omega's magic and allowing it to swing again.

Omega dodged the punch, snarling his shock and rage as his half-sword was unable to harm the Deus' arm to stop it from closing in on Theta and Delta. Even so, Delta had been freed from Ashley's Curse of Chains just in time to stop the Deus' fist again, but he strained from the effort.

"We've got him! Overwhelm him!" Viktor cried, and Devin's Predator Dragon and Kelly's Final-Sting Faerie zoomed forth to aid the Deus, along with Viktor's Acidic Slime and Ashley's Water Elemental. Delta's eyes widened as all these creatures closed in on him, and he was helpless as their combined attack shook the whole Castle with a powerful impact and debris cloud, along with residual mana, obscuring everything in range.

"Did that… work?" Viktor breathed, before Theta and Omega erupted from the debris cloud, their rapid spinning swords hissing in the air.

"Nice try!" Omega shouted, and the two of them teleported all of a sudden, reappearing at point-blank range at the kids and Tohru, giving them no chance to block the murderous half-swords. Viktor prepared for the worst, but a clang of metal on metal made him stand back in awe: two new warriors stood between the two demi-Hunters and the kids, familiar warriors at that.

"Silverstorm Samurai… and Nagao, Bound by Honor?" Viktor breathed, as the fox-warriors and the dutiful samurai hero pushed Theta and Omega back with their blades, giving some room for new spells to be cast. Before anyone did anything else, a familiar voice spoke up behind Viktor.

"Hey, man. Good to see you all again," Makoto said casually, wandering up behind them all, beaming.

"We found you!" Ashley cried, unable to help herself and embracing her friend in a tight hug. "And we were really worried…"

"Well, thanks. But I'm all right," Makoto assured her, returning the hug and parting from Ashley. His clothes and hair were a little ragged and dirty, but he looked otherwise unharmed. "I never thought I'd see you all again."

_I guess that hitting Theta and Omega did release Makoto from their sealing magic, _Viktor realized. _And he just _needed_ a minute to escape the loosening magic effects to come to our aid. His timing couldn't have been better!_

"Well, if that's the case, then you'll all get the chance to die together!" Theta spat, and he and Omega released their blades from the deadlock with Makoto's creatures, renewing their assault. Nagao and the Silverstorm Samurai were pushed back but held fast, aided by Makoto's Indomitable Will card.

Then, Viktor triggered his Lethargy Trap card, making Theta and Omega gasp for breath as their strength was weakened, making them slump. The two samurai and a Yamabushi's Flame blasted them away, damaging their armor and cutting their skin.

"Damn it! Stop leaving the battle, Delta! We need backup!" Omega roared back at the dust cloud from the battle against the Deus of Calamity. Viktor's Elvish Warrior, equipped with Trusty Machete, leaped forth to join the two samurai in pressing their attack on Theta and Omega, making the two demi-Hunters strain to defend themselves. Devin and Kelly prepared a few finishing spells, but before they could, Delta re-entered the battle.

"Man. I guess this is a good chance for me to show off, huh?" he commented, stumbling out of the fading dust cloud. The defeated Deus of Calamity gave a final utterance before collapsing, dissolving into primal green and red mana. Scrambling to their feet, Theta and Omega narrowly escaped the trio of attacking creatures in order to back off, apparently not wanting to get in Delta's way.

"No matter what tricks you've got in store for us, you're going down!" Devin shouted, his Fireball making his point. However, Delta continued to stumble forward, knocking away the Fireball with one hand, grinning as he clutched at his face with his other hand.

"Now you're gonna see why I'm the middle strongest among the five original Hunters!" he shouted excitedly. "Forget that metal-boy Kappa or Theta or Omega here. I'm going to crush you all myself! Who-hooooooo!"

There was something chillingly animalistic about Delta's howling, and shivers ran up and down his body as the summoned creatures fell back to defend their card-wielding masters.

Delta took one last unsteady step forward, his red and green mana aura flaring to full strength, warping and seething out of proportion, growing like crazy. Delta's body began to expand, his arms, legs, and body growing and morphing. His legs seemed to reverse their joints, bursting out of the leg armor and his feet becoming paw-like, complete with large black claws and brown fur. His hands did the same, the fingernails becoming claws and a coat of fur growing on his fingers and arms, the armor straining and breaking off from the growth as Delta transformed.

Viktor's eyes widened. "This has got to be his Ascendant State!" he shouted, remembering Beta's horrifying transformation into a fire wraith atop the Jund volcano. "Don't let him finish it!"

"Volcanic Dragon! Giant Ambush Beetle!" Devin roared, assisted by Kelly's Skeletal Vampire, Ashley's Water Elemental, and the creatures Viktor and Makoto had already summoned, along with a gold fire spell Tohru cast. All these creatures raged forth to destroy Delta, only to be vaporized once he flared up the final stage of his transformation, giving off a fantastic amount of sheer mana.

"Not good enough! Ah-woooooooooo!" Delta howled, his aura striking down the attackers, to the kids' and Tohru's dismay. His head was lengthening, his jaw and nose protruding and growing fur as his eyes became yellow and his ears moved to the top of his head. Now even bigger than before, Delta took a few steps forward on his paw-feet, feeling his face with his paw-hand as his transformation into his Ascendant State was completed. Once he lowered his hand, Delta leered his wolf face at the kids, a wide, sharp-toothed grin on his canine face.

"He… he's a wolf-man! Or a werewolf!" Devin cried, taking in the beast before him. "Like in the movies…"

"Werewolf? Ah-wooooooooo!" Delta cried, with a wolf-howl at the end of his sentence. "No, no! I'm a wolf shaman, see?"

Indeed, Delta now carried a thick wooden staff in his right hand, as tall as he was and with three wolf skulls on the end, numerous iron bands and runes along the wooden shaft. His armor was replaced by a crude set of shaman clothing, mostly a loin-cloth and armbands on his wrists that had metal studs. Otherwise, his rippling brown and black fur made up his clothing. Delta huffed.

"Come on! Aren't you impressed yet?" he complained, waving a hand. "Look at me! I'm a wolf shaman, currently the most powerful being in this plane! Granted that Alpha didn't decide to come here for some random reason… but still!"

"He seems… kind of unfocused," Viktor commented dryly. "But don't let your guard down."

"I heard that! Fire!" Delta shouted, tapping his staff once on the floor before swishing it through the air in a wide arc, hundreds of thin fire beams launching from the wolf skulls, all the beams curving in to collide with the group of kids.

Ashley's Wall of Denial bolstered by Battlegrowth took on the full brunt of Delta's sudden and withering attack, but like with the battle against Beta, even their strongest defense couldn't last long. The last of the fire lances vaporized the weakened shield, leaving the kids exposed again.

"How do you like that? Ah-woooooooo!" Delta shouted in glee. "Come on, Theta and Omega! It's time to party!"

"Gotcha!" Theta and Omega said in unison, leaping into the fray with their spinning attack. "This is it!"

"Not just yet!" Viktor retorted, slipping a few new cards out of his pocket as everyone else prepared their spells. This was going to be a tough one.


	23. Chapter 23

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 23

"So, um… who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" Devin joked feebly, staring transfixed at the Ascendant State Delta standing twenty paces behind the charging Theta and Omega.

"Stop… your joking!" Kelly gritted, as her Grixis Slavedriver blocked Theta and Omega, its rusty barbed-wire whip straining against the pressure of the twosome's swords backed up by their masters' unnatural strength. The Zombie Giant was assisted by Makoto's Nagao, Bound by Honor, the white samurai weaving his katana in a complex pattern and batting aside Theta and Omega's blades, creating a brief opening as they staggered back.

"But… it really freaks me out," Devin whimpered, still watching Delta, gripping a trio of cards in his only hand.

"Why is that?" Viktor asked, his Acidic Slime rushing forth with wet, slopping sounds to extend its corrosive feelers toward the demi-Hunters. They cut off its feelers but cried out as the Slime's burning blood splashed on their hand and arms.

"Cause I thought I was the only red-green master around here," Devin explained, his Giant Growth-enhanced Raging Goblin racing forward to engage the demi-Hunters as they writhed in pain from the Slime's blood getting on them. The Goblin's ax descended, narrowly missing them as it made a huge gouge in the floor.

"But you are!" Ashley encouraged him, her Withstand protecting the Goblin from a sneak attack by Theta, who attacked the Goblin's blind spot.

"I… I am? But Delta…" Devin started, looking confused.

Ashley smiled. "Can't you tell yet, Devin?" she asked. "No matter how strong the Hunters are or what they do, we'll always be better! They fight for evil, trying to help Elena conquer the entire Multiverse for herself. But we, we fight for good, we fight to protect everyone and maintain balance in the Multiverse. Even though it isn't our native world. That's why we'll always be stronger."

Devin hesitated, listening to his friend's words. Then he grinned. "Yeah. We're stronger. Way stronger!" he cheered, as a blazing red Volcanic Dragon erupted to life, the monster screeching its hunger and rage in the confines of the Eiganjo Castle throne room.

"Just don't get carried away, all right?" Kelly supported him, her Nightmare taking up arms along with the Dragon. Both beasts flew over the staggered demi-Hunters' heads, charging right at Delta.

"He'll launch the fire lances again, so get ready!" Kelly told her sister, and Ashley nodded, her Water Elemental joining them and spreading itself out to form a wavering, malleable shield with Viktor's Jump card to give it flying.

"Ah-woooooo! Not good enough!" Delta howled, taking a heavy step back and swishing his skull staff through the air. Once again, hundreds of fire streamers erupted from the staff, all headed for the attacking creatures.

"Get 'em!" Theta shouted, but the Water Elemental thought otherwise. To Delta's annoyance, the Water Elemental shifted around to take the brunt of the fire streamers, its watery body bubbling and boiling as the fire struck it. The Elemental was swiftly killed, despite Ashley's extra mana pumped into it and Viktor's Regeneration, but its job was complete. The Nightmare's hooves and Volcanic Dragon's claws smashed Delta about, making him cry out as they landed.

Viktor's first impression was that Delta was mostly a distance fighter, but that impression was dispelled: the Wolf Shaman's bulging, furry biceps weren't just for show.

"Hahahaha. Sorry, horsie, but you're gonna die! You too, dragon boy!" Delta shouted, as the Nightmare's hind hooves tried to smash his face again. His paw-like hand flashed out and seized the Nightmare's leg and he used it like a handle, swinging the neighing Nightmare at the Dragon. Viktor tried to Unsummon the Nightmare but was too slow: the horse crashed into the Volcanic Dragon in a gout of seething fire, apparently Delta's own addition to do extra damage. Both creatures were demolished, bursting into countless wisps of mana.

"And _that's _why you don't charge at Delta! Damage to the face!" Omega declared, getting back to his feet and wiping blood from his brow; Theta was likewise injured, the two of them unsteady on their feet, their grips loose on their half-swords.

"Wanna make something of it?" Devin challenged them, rolling up his sleeves before Tohru gripped his arm.

"Must not fall for taunting! Dangerous to fall for that tactic. Keep cooler temperament," the wizened Planeswalker warned.

"But I'm red-green! I lose if I hesitate," Devin pointed out.

Tohru raised his eyebrows. "Ahhh, but only if you hesitate when the time is right. Usually, must wait for the time to be right. Otherwise, certain failure. Cooperate with teammates to make that opportunity."

Devin's eyes widened, then he grinned again. "Let's make this work, guys," he said. "Delta and the others can't keep pushing us around."

"And I want to get them back for tormenting me, too," Makoto added, giving Theta and Omega a hard look. "While I was their captive."

"Wh-what did they do to you?" Ashley asked, concern in her voice.

"Nothing _too _bad," Makoto assured her. "But –"

"Hey! Look!" Viktor warned, and the six of them turned to witness Theta and Omega still standing there, but side-by-side with a set expression on their faces.

"Delta, you're about to get some serious help," Theta told the big Hunter.

"We're doing _that," _Omega added grimly.

"Doing what now? I forgot the ability Alpha gave you guys," Delta said frankly, scratching his head.

Theta and Omega sighed, their shoulder slumping. "You forgot? Then we'll just have to show you! All of you!" they said in unison, then raised their half-swords, joining them at the cutoff sides to make a whole broadsword. Instantly, blue and black mana flared up, rumbling in strength as a vortex of it enveloped Theta and Omega.

"What are they doing?" Kelly wondered nervously, peering at the spectacle. "Surely they don't have an Ascendant State too! They're only part-time Hunters, but…"

Tohru frowned, then his eyes bulged. "Prepare!" he shouted over the noise. "Their mana auras just combined! Very strong now. Unusual phenomenon!"

"Combined…?" Viktor started, before the black and blue mana made one final surge and faded away, revealing a lone figure standing where Theta and Omega had been. The newcomer was bulky, almost as big as non-Ascendant Delta, but wearing blue and black armor with a cape. His face was heavy, with long, tangled black hair that went to the small of his back, and a short beard on his chin and jowls and a mustache to match, giving him a rugged look. His eyes were hard and serious, and in both hands he held a whole broadsword, the complete version of the half-swords Theta and Omega had wielded. A sparkling, spherical diamond was set in the pommel of the broadsword.

The newcomer looked down at the defending kids and Planeswalker. "I am Upsilon, spawn of Theta and Omega," he said in a deep voice. "And I don't play nice like they do. I exist only to eradicate."

"Are you… a summon from Theta and Omega?" Kelly asked. "Or did they combine their bodies and minds to make you, with you having their memories and experience?"

Upsilon shook his head. "Some of both," he said. "All of us are the spawn of Lady Elena's flesh and will – we are not truly alive, only independently-moving extensions of Elena's flesh. Theta and Omega were 'returned' to her to create me, Upsilon. An exchange, of sorts, an exchange only they could perform. I do, however, have their memories and experience. That, and my unstoppable broadsword, Soul Drive, will render you dead within minutes."

"Jeez, he's a jerk," Devin commented, and even Kelly had to agree. "But we have to be even more careful with him than Delta," she warned in a whisper and Upsilon spun his sword and started walking toward them. "Blue and black are tricky colors, and we haven't seen any of what he can do yet."

Then, Delta raised his voice. "A little test. Shock!" he shouted, and crackling blue lightning raced toward Upsilon, who blinked flicked his wrist to allow his sword blade to knock the lightning away. He continued to walk unimpeded.

"Elvish Warrior!" Viktor cried as Ashley's Sky Hussar and Makoto's Battle-Mad Ronin all charged to meet Upsilon, all of them defeated by his broadsword, cutting off all their heads.

"No use!" Upsilon snarled, still approaching. "Delta, back me up."

"I never thought you'd ask," Delta grinned, zooming to the battlefield with a blur of red and green mana, moving super-fast for his size. Delta's countless fire streamers were launched once again as Upsilon swung his broadsword right at Viktor's head.

"Too much at once!" Tohru cried, his shielding gold magic nullifying a few fire streamers. Distracted by Upsilon's swing, no one was able to cast a blocking spell in time, and the fire streamers raged everywhere, slamming into the floor and creating balls of fire everywhere they struck. Meanwhile, Upsilon's sword edge was an inch away from Viktor's nose.

"Ice Cage!" he shouted, and blue-white ice seeped into existence, growing on Upsilon's arm and body like a fast-growing crystalline fungus. The fusion Hunter looked shocked as the ice stopped his swing, rendering his arm useless.

Devin's Entangling Vines laced themselves into a living shield, taking the brunt of Delta's fire, keeping Viktor safe as he worked his Ice Cage magic. However, there were too many fire streamers; Viktor growled in pain as fire seared his skin, the shock of the fire detonations buffeting him and sending him sprawling, along with everyone else. The floorboards were charred and cracked, and the two Hunters weren't done yet.

"Not good enough. You only bought yourself some time," Upsilon said grimly, flexing his arm and breaking off the ice, allowing the chunks to fall to the floor and shatter. He pounced, aiming his broadsword for a deadly point-thrust. Delta's fire streamers were launched again at the same time, providing cover.

_Damn, it's only the fire streamers over and over but they're too hard t__o avoid! Especially with Upsilon charging! _Viktor cursed, nevertheless getting an Assault Zeppelid out in time to block the sword thrust. Ashley's Safe Passage diverted some of the fire streamers, but the rest had to be blocked by chump creatures, the heat making the air waver.

Meanwhile, Upsilon's broadsword closed in on the thick armor of the Llanowar Behemoth, the wood-and-vine siege vehicle buffed by a surge of blue-green from Viktor, its summoner. Viktor was certain that Upsilon's sword would require at least a few seconds to get through it, but he was wrong: Upsilon's broadsword tip touched the Behemoth's armor and slid right through it, as though it were an illusion.

"What in…?" Viktor sputtered, watching. Upsilon's expression didn't change as his sword plunged unimpeded right through the Behemoth, not injuring it but at the same time unaffected by it, practically ignoring presence. Viktor scrambled out of the way as the sword tip came close to him, threatening to impale him. Viktor scrambled to his feet as the Llanowar Behemoth attacked Upsilon, only to miss as the fusion Hunter teleported out of the way with a puff of blue mana.

"Is that an illusionary sword?" Makoto asked on awe, having witnessed Upsilon's bizarre move. He gripped his cards tight. "You know, since he's blue and black. Theta and Omega were tricksters enough."

"You'll never know the secret. It is not for you to know," Upsilon told them firmly, lowering his broadsword and extending a hand. "Perish."

A cyclone of freezing cold dark blue mana burst from Upsilon's hand, chilling Viktor's body to the bones and making his brain feel heavy and slow, his body swaying as his mind went fuzzy. _A remote mana-leeching attack, I'll bet! _Viktor thought doggedly. With equal determination, he forced his arm high enough to cast his Vital Surge card, giving him the vitality to fight back.

"Get him!" Viktor ordered his Behemoth, and the elf siege vehicle charged again, aided by a man-pumped Fighting Drake and Assault Zeppelid, both further enhanced by Battlegrowth.

"Hmph! So you can resist," Upsilon commented with a grunt, fending off the Fighting Drake's claws with his sword. However, he had not expected an Elvish Warrior to slip through the creatures' ranks, flitting close and smacking its sword against Upsilon's armor, forcing the fusion Hunter to stagger. Assault Zeppelid rammed him, driving Upsilon into the floor with a loud crunch.

"Yeah! Superior numbers!" Devin shouted, and his Boggart Ram-Gang and Makoto's Battle-Mad Ronin charged in to help, sped up by red mana to finish off the vulnerable Upsilon. They were stopped, however, when Delta made his move.

"Not so fast, not so fast!" the wolf shaman Hunter declared, setting a paw-foot back to brace himself to cast a powerful spell. With a straining grunt, he swung his wooden staff in a wide arc, and to Viktor's shock, several green and red forms surged from the staff, materializing out of nowhere.

Then, Viktor saw a quartet of bulky wolves with moss-green pelts charge to intercept the attacking creatures, the wolves' paws on fire with unnatural flames to give them speed and power. With chilling howls, the beasts pounced on the attackers, tearing into their flesh with powerful jaws.

Viktor wasn't about to let Delta re-gain the upper hand. Gritting his teeth, he channeled more green and blue mana into his creatures as Makoto and Devin did the same, and the Fighting Drake, who had lost an arm to a green wolf, bit at its wolf adversary and chomped it in half, avenging its lost limb.

"Ah-woooooo! You fell for it!" Delta howled in joy, and Viktor's eyes bugged as he saw the severed wolf's body explode violently, swallowing the injured Fighting Drake in a seething fireball. The rest of the creatures were knocked back from the force, and when the flames died down there was nothing left of the wolf or Fighting Drake.

"It… exploded when it died! A volatile mana reaction in its body?" Kelly wondered in shock.

Tohru nodded, consulting a scroll of his that had updated info flow across its rice paper surface. "Exactly right, Kelly," he said. "Most unusual. Most effective. Quite red-green, I must say."

"Not that it's a good thing," Devin muttered as Boggart Ram-Gang impaled a green wolf, the goblins on it cheering in victory. Their cheers were changed to squeals as they flew away from the resulting explosion, the log battering ram demolished. Battle-Mad Ronin faced a similar fate, slicing through one wolf and stabbing the last one. Both wolves detonated like the rest, vaporizing the Ronin.

"Jeez. There's got to be a way around this," Viktor gritted, watching Upsilon approach again. "Ashley, do you have anything?"

"Um… Turn to Mists, probably," she said uncertainly, examining the said card. "I can turn the explosions into mist clouds and make them less effective."

"Hey, that's not how the card works –" Makoto started, before Devin gave a warning as the two Hunters started another attack.

"Greet your death," Upsilon snarled, leaping into the air and whirling in place, not unlike the Theta and Omega demi-Hunters who had spawned him. Makoto's Silverstorm Samurai and Ronin Houndmaster were there to greet Upsilon's blade, the broadsword moving even faster than the half-swords that had fused to create it. Only Ashley's Withstand and Viktor's Twiddle slowed Upsilon's assault enough to allow the two defending creatures to drive him back, aided by a shock and Makoto's Yamabushi's Flame.

"Whoa, he's fast," Devin said in awe. "How strong do you think he is compared to the other Hunters? Whoa!"

Upsilon had attacked again, slipping past the samurai to reach him. His Giant Ambush Beetle and Scythe Tiger were there to protect him, driving Upsilon back again.

"Do it, Delta," Upsilon grinned, and Delta stomped forward, waving his staff again with a gleeful howl. Viktor tried not to panic as over two dozen green flaming wolves leaped into existence, charging in packs toward the defenders.

"Wall of Denial!" Ashley declared, and the shimmering blue and white wall wavered quickly into existence, barely in time to stop the wolf horde. The Wall was rather close to the kids, but the wolves were stymied, snapping and scratching uselessly at its impenetrable, ethereal surface. Upsilon, on the other hand, walked forward and stabbed his broadsword at it.

_Useless. Ashley can pump more mana into the wall and I can enchant__ it, _Viktor thought confidently, preparing an Oakenform to bolster the Wall's toughness. He was proven wrong, however, when Upsilon's massive broadsword slid right through the Wall with a stabbing motion, its point going through the Wall as through it were not even there.

"Sister!" Kelly exclaimed in alarm when Upsilon's blade went through the Wall and stabbed Ashley in the chest, making her cry out and fall to her knees, bleeding. The Wall flickered, losing coherence until it fell completely, allowing Delta's wolves to resume their attack.

"Shit!" Viktor growled, his Elvish Warrior and a new Fighting Drake advancing to hold off a few of the wolves as Upsilon backed away from a Branching Bolt sent his way. Most of the wolves, smelling Ashley's blood, went after her and intended to tear her apart. Still able to fight, however, Ashley fell back, a white card in her hand.

"You fell for the trap, wolves," she muttered weakly, and Viktor recognized Arrow Volley Trap in her hands. The white Trap instant normally dealt 5 damage divided as its caster chose among any number of attacking creatures, and Viktor cast Regenerate on Ashley to close her wound and undo the damage. Meanwhile, hundreds of arrows flocked through the air from Ashley's card, the wooden projectiles impaling the wolves by the dozen, stopping them where they stood.

"Get back!" Kelly warned, dragging her sister out of the blast radius. All dead, the wolves' bodies exploded almost at the same time, shuddering the room and breaking the floor as a wall of fire enveloped the room, obscuring Viktor's vision of Delta and Upsilon.

"Yeesh. Good going, Ashley, that bought us some time," Viktor told his friend, quickly kneeling by her side. "Listen, are you okay? You were stabbed…"

"It's okay. Your Regenerate is helping," Ashley told him, her voice's strength returning. Her shirt had a tear in it, but her skin underneath was smooth and unbroken, with no trace of Upsilon's stab. "But thanks, Vik."

"Prepare. They are not done yet," Tohru warned, and he was right; out of the fire came Upsilon, whirling in the air as he was attacking again, and Delta was not far behind.

"Ah-woooooo! This is getting more fun as it goes!" the wolf shaman howled, tilting his head back as Elvish Warrior blocked with Upsilon's blade with difficulty. "I almost don't want this battle to end, but Upsilon and I need to get that Konda Key Creature and get it back to Lady Elena. She's getting impatient."

_Then she and you are going to be disappointed. We're not going to lose, _Viktor thought doggedly as he and the other kids rallied to fight back. _But this is going to take some doing. We've got to figure out how Upsilon's sword works, or he'll keep going through our defenses as Delta lays covering fire with his flame streamers and wolf summons. But we can do __this. I know it._


	24. Chapter 24

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 24

**A/N: **Sorry if my updates are few and far between, but I'm also working on a Mechwarrior/Battletech fic and it eats up most of the time I set aside for writing. I do, however, assure you that this story will be completed. Sooner or later. On to the chapter…

"This battle is not meant to be _fun, _Delta," Upsilon said, knocking Elvish Warrior's sword out of its hands and disemboweling it. He gave his broadsword a twirl in his hands, turning and pointing it at his larger peer with a glare. "Do not mock the importance of this engagement. These children die, right now. Use the full extent of your powers; I know that your Ascendant State gives you nightmarish power, even greater than mine. Time to cast aside your sloth and start killing."

"Fine, fine, let's do it," Delta agreed, in a don't-bite-my-head-off tone, tossing his skull staff from one paw-hand to the other, huffing in irritation. "Between you and Theta and Omega, I've lost track how many times I've been yelled at. At least I didn't turn traitor like Upsilon."

"Yes, Theta and Omega were informed of Upsilon's betrayal by their master Alpha, and their memories speak to me even now," Upsilon said. "And I know that Kappa was badly damaged on Jund, forced to retreat to Mirrodin to recover while Beta was killed altogether. Are you ready to avenge our losses, Delta?"

"Yee-ow! More than ready!" Delta said in a wolfish yip of excitement, and Viktor realized that Upsilon had goaded the wolf shaman into fighting even harder, offering him the chance to make a positive difference by avenging his comrades' earlier losses. _Great._

Delta swept his staff, launching the familiar swarm of fire tendrils like the tentacles of some raging sea monster. Getting used to this tactic, Viktor and the others bunched up for safety, allowing a Withstand-enhanced Vine Trellis to act as a shield long enough for defensive creatures to be cast.

"Hello there!" Delta grinned, and Viktor recoiled, realizing that the wolf shaman was right in front of him, ignoring the fire raging all around. Viktor swore and dodged to the side just in time to dodge a thrust of the skull staff, a scythe-sized iron blade sticking out of it.

"I guess that staff is good as a melee weapon too! Hidden blades?" Devin exclaimed, prancing around to avoid the fire tendrils that got past the tattered Vine Trellis.

"Not surprising. Close-combat often a weakness of summon-type mages," Tohru observed wisely while dodging the fire with speed and grace far greater than his age would normally permit. He stopped to block a pair of tendrils with his gold magic. "Makes sense that wild-type such as Delta would overcome weakness… with crude melee weapons. Expect more."

"_More__?" _Devin repeated, his Giant Ambush Beetle raging forth to block a swing from Delta's staff. The massive insect raised its front limbs to block the staff's iron blade with its tough carapace, but Delta howled with glee and summoned a few more wolves from the staff even as it struggled against the Beetle's block.

"Too bad, buddy," Makoto retorted, his Silverstorm Samurai flashing into existence in an instant, the kitsune warriors impaling the crazed green wolves. The samurai were protected by a Safe Passage from the wolves' subsequent explosions upon death.

"Okay, we need to try something with long reach, maybe a creature with a pike to counter Delta's staff –" Viktor started to tell the others, before Upsilon appeared right before him, through the haze of the wolves' dying explosions.

"Watch it!" Kelly cried, forcing Viktor down to the floor just in time to avoid a thrust from Upsilon's broadsword, Soul Drive. Not yet done, Upsilon drew his broadsword back and thrust it at Viktor again, as a new wave of Delta wolves tied up Devin and Makoto's defenses. Viktor summoned a second Vine Trellis, backed up by a Wall of Bones from Kelly, the two walls pressing close to make a barrier of leafy vine and hard bone. Then, Ashley's Wall of Denial took place behind the Trellis, making a three-fold wall.

Upsilon's broadsword thrust glided right through the combined wall, nearly stabbing Viktor's shoulder off.

"It's still not working!" Viktor cursed, tumbling away to avoid getting amputated. He scrambled to his feet, casting a Llanowar Behemoth and Assault Zeppelid to keep Upsilon back for a second. Ashley's Sky Hussar glided into battle, helping Viktor's creatures as a few wolves exploded in the near distance, heating up the air. _"Why _can't we block his sword? There's no way it could go through our combined defenses that easily. It would take him at least some effort to get through, but…"

"But a trick of blue-black," Kelly nodded, watching Upsilon dodge a Behemoth attack and swing his sword, only to have it blocked by the Sky Hussar's pike, metal clanging on metal. Then, Upsilon moved and stabbed the Hussar Knight through the gut, taking advantage of an opening in the knight's defenses.

"Wait a second…" Viktor said, staying back and watching Upsilon fighting. He watched the movements of the new Hunter's broadsword, noting the fast-moving swings and twirls, but the slow and straightforward stabs that always resulted in a dead creature. "I think his strategy…"

"Is to block with the side of his sword, then create an opening with a swing and stab the creature to kill it," Kelly finished for him as Ashley looked on.

"So the point of the sword is the main offensive part?" Ashley concluded.

"Got to be," Viktor said, right before a tattered Raging Goblin was sent flying his way from the other battle and had to dodge it. Delta was fighting with all he had, using fire streamers up close and swinging with his blade staff. "I'd like to try something."

"Just don't get yourself hurt, all right?" Kelly made him promise, and Viktor nodded and got to work. He summoned Thon Elemental, determined to get the attention of the combatants further away.

"Ah-woooooo! Big guy!" Delta exclaimed, jumping to avoid a hailstorm of wood needles from the Elemental. Taking advantage of that opening, Devin and Makoto were able to re-unite with Viktor and the others, hurrying before Upsilon could finish off the creatures that were distracting him.

"We've figured out that Upsilon relies on the point of his sword to kill things," Viktor explained in a hurry as Delta tromped after them, after their blood. "He only uses the sides to block attacks and create openings for thrusts. So, we must not give him those openings or he'll stab again. Attack him from the side, and he can block. Attack directly, and he can stab through your creature and hit you. However, if he's overwhelmed, then we can force openings on him, and land blows."

"The same strategy as for Beta. It worked on him. Let's try it on this guy!" Devin agreed.

"He may have other magic to defend himself, though," Makoto pointed out, casting a Battle-Mad Ronin to hold Delta off. "Theta and Omega could teleport and turn themselves invisible."

"I can handle that," Viktor assured him, gripping a Voidslime tight in his hand – "Counter target spell, activated Ability, or Triggered Ability." Perfect.

"Then let's go! We'll handle Delta as he comes," Devin said, holding up a card. "I have something that'll also sting them for using their powers."

"What is it?" Kelly asked, before Burning-Tree Shaman erupted to life, the Gruul centaur snorting as he brandished his own tree-like staff.

"Hahahaha! Die, centaur boy!" Delta howled, thrusting his staff to summon a trio of green wolves to kill it. To the Hunter's surprise, however, the Burning-Tree Shaman muttered a word and tapped his staff, and Delta recoiled from a trio of fire bursts that scorched his chest.

Viktor realized what was going on as a Skeletal Vampire gave its life to kill the wolves and take the brunt of their death-explosion. That Shaman dealt 1 damage to the owner of a creature who used its activated ability, and Delta's wolf summons must have qualified for that. If so, then Delta and Upsilon would pay dearly to use their powers.

"We'll take him! Get Upsilon!" Ashley told Viktor as she and Makoto went after the disgruntled Delta, leaving Kelly, Viktor, Devin, and Tohru to go after Upsilon.

"I will not fall for your tricks, children," Upsilon growled, killing off the last creature that was sent to slow him down. He leaped after them, spinning in circles with his broadsword to cover a wide area.

Fighting Drake and Sengir Vampire were there to engage Upsilon at close range, while a Predator Dragon slipped around and breathed fire on Upsilon from behind.

Upsilon reached behind his back to fire a wavering cloud of dark blue mana to nullify the fire, while his other hand manipulated the broadsword by itself. However, Burning-Tree Shaman's fire struck him upon using a power, and Upsilon was momentarily distracted. Taking advantage of its foe's weakness, Predator Dragon bashed Upsilon with its hard, scaled snout, sending the blue-black Hunter tumbling across the floor before the Fighting Drake plunged its claws into his chest, piercing his armor.

"Foul… thing!" Upsilon wheezed past his teeth, swinging his broadsword up to cleave off the Drake's head. Not giving him any quarter, Viktor's Oakenform covered the Drake's skin, making the broadsword clang uselessly off the wooden surface.

"Hey! Upsilon! I thought you were tough," Delta called over, bashing a Boggart Ram-Gang with his staff and kicking it away, destroying it. His wolf ears were perked up in alarm. "Come on, hang in there!"

"Don't get distracted!" Makoto retorted, his Nagao, Bound by Honor taking up Delta's attention again. Meanwhile, Upsilon was at it again: he tumbled backward, ignoring the bleeding wound on his chest. He snapped to a kneeling position, raising his broadsword to thrust at the Drake. Sengir Vampire and Predator Dragon were on the scene, quickly surrounding Upsilon with superior numbers, and all had Oakenform cast on them.

"Hmmmmmmm. Tricky," Upsilon commented to himself, flicking his eyes around at the threesome surrounding him.

"Get him!" Viktor ordered, and the creatures descended. Upsilon burst into action, leaping and spinning about and swinging his broadsword to knock away the claws and teeth headed his way. Upsilon was able to, with effort, create openings in the creatures' defenses, but their Oakenform armor stymied his retaliatory sword attacks, being unable to cut them.

"Then we shall do this the hard way," Upsilon muttered, charging at Predator Dragon. The Dragon swung a claw as Sengir Vampire attacked, and Upsilon could not dodge both; the Dragon's heavy paw slammed into him, its claws cutting his armor as he was sent tumbling. Not yet defeated, Upsilon leaped back to his feet and teleported out of sight, reappearing on top of the Predator Dragon's head.

"There. I was hoping I wouldn't need to teleport and use up energy, but apparently I must," Upsilon said with finality before he slid his broadsword downward and into the Predator Dragon's head, right through its Oakenform armor.

The Dragon screeched as its brain was punctured, Upsilon leaping off its lifeless head to slip his blade into Sengir Vampire's chest and kill it. Only a Revive the Fallen by Kelly got Predator Dragon back on its feet and drive away Upsilon before the Fighting Drake was killed, too.

"Give up. Soul Drive cannot be halted," Upsilon declared, a short distance away from the creature trio. In the near distance, another wolf exploded, along with a yelp of pain from Devin and a quick heal spell from Ashley. Upsilon leaped toward Viktor, with nothing standing between them. "I will impale your heart, child, so it may stop beating and you will cease to resist me."

"Whoa!" Viktor yelped, getting his Twiddle card out to slow Upsilon down, and give Kelly time to use a Drag Down on him, leaving Upsilon almost paralyzed as Fighting Drake swooped in to finish the job. As the Drake got close, Upsilon stabbed his sword backwards, the tip piercing the Drake's hand armor and sliced the tendons of one of its fingers, driving it back howling in agony.

"Try as you might, I fight on!" Upsilon said, deliberately taking damage from Burning-Tree Shaman to use a mana-draining spell on the Drag Down, dissolving the swamp tendrils and muck that held him down. Viktor felt helpless as Upsilon closed in for the final blow, but then an idea came to him.

"Makoto! Use Indomitable Will!" Viktor shouted, casting Oakenform on himself.

Makoto was quick to help, but his spell did not render the service Viktor wished for. Treating him like a creature, Indomitable Will gave him +1/+2, but the armor boost promised nothing against Soul Drive's penetrative power. Once again, Viktor could do nothing but dodge the attack by his own reflexes, something he couldn't depend on for too long. Upsilon's sword tip grazed Viktor's side, and Viktor gasped from the sharp pain as his flesh was cut.

"Damn it…" Viktor muttered, his own Regenerate card dealing with the injury.

"It didn't work?" Makoto frowned, as Kelly helped back up Devin in fighting Delta.

"It doesn't work to just give +1/+2 to the creatures or me," Viktor gritted as Upsilon defended himself from Sengir Vampire and stabbed off one of its arms, right through the wood armor the vampire wore. "I think I know how Soul Drive works! You have to use the alternate effect on Indomitable Will… oh, yeah. You weren't here when we learned about that."

"About what?" Makoto asked curiously. Ashley hurried to explain that cards could be used for alternate effects, based on the implications of the card name. Guttural Response could be a heal spell, with the defiant roar of red-green fighting against death and so on.

"Oh, okay. Indomitable Will… how should I use it on you, Viktor?" Makoto asked in a hurry as Upsilon killed the Sengir Vampire and dodged a Predator Dragon attack to get back at Viktor.

"Strengthen the will of the defending creature instead," Viktor said, getting a new Vine Trellis out to block Upsilon's attack. Once again, Upsilon thrust his sword, Soul Drive, straight at the Vine Trellis, and Makoto was just in time to cast Indomitable Will on the Trellis, Viktor hoping against hope that his theory was correct.

"It will be the same no matter how many times you defy me," Upsilon boasted, but at last he was the one to be trumped. Vine Trellis was infused with gold and white sparks from the Indomitable Will; it didn't get +1/+2, but its atoms' willpower was boosted to far greater heights, and Viktor cast a Battlegrowth on the Trellis to make its body more durable. The result was that Soul Drive stabbed halfway through the Trellis before it got stuck, freezing in place in the wood and vine body.

"Im… impossible!" Upsilon muttered, pushing harder on Soul Drive's handle to get it through the Vine Trellis. It was no good; Soul Drive's trick was exposed, and now it was no different than any other sword; with the sword stuck in place, Upsilon was defenseless as Predator Dragon lurched forward and swept its paw at Upsilon, sending him flying away and tumbling across the wooden floor, his armor even more damaged now.

"Yeah! It worked!" Makoto cheered, and Viktor felt similarly encouraged as he got a Llanowar Behemoth out to back up Predator Dragon, along with a Ronin Houndmaster from Makoto. Learning quickly, Makoto put Indomitable Will on all three of those creatures, in case Upsilon had more tricks to offer.

"Just how did that work?" Ashley wondered. "What alternate effect did Makoto use?"

"Blue and black inspire despair and insanity on opponents," Viktor explained as the battle resumed. "I figured that Soul Drive got that name because it can drive right through the willpower, the soul, of its opponent without any resistance. After considering that and what I've seen of it at work, Soul Drive's tip can re-arrange the atoms of the defender to allow Soul Drive's atoms to pass through without impairment. Basically, that sword breaks down the defending substance's will to fight back, making the defender useless no matter how strong it is. It doesn't want to resist Soul Drive! Unless… it has Indomitable Will."

"Genius! I thought this card was okay, but now it's a life-saver," Makoto praised his card, holding it with both hands. "Whatever helps me get back at Delta and Upsilon makes me happy. Let's finish them."

A pair of mossy green wolves broke from the other battle, threatening the kids who had no creatures nearby. A quick Into the Roil from Ashley created a typhoon to sweep the animals away, slamming them into the opposite wall where they exploded without harming anyone. Meanwhile, Upsilon got back to the Vine Trellis and allowed himself to get hurt from Burning-Tree Shaman to dispel the Vine Trellis and work loose Soul Drive. Even with his trick exposed, Upsilon could still use Soul Drive with deadly speed and grace.

"Up… Upsilon!" Delta wheezed, crawling away from his battle on his hand and knees, his ears drooping rather dog-like as his summoned wolves held off Devin and Kelly's creatures. He was rather beaten up, and apparently eager to end the battle.

"What is it?!" Upsilon demanded, narrowly blocking an attack from Llanowar Behemoth.

"Let's… go all out and summon some of Elena's reserves. We'll tear down the whole Eiganjo Castle if we need to, in order to capture Konda and kill the children!" Delta demanded.

"Bring them here? I'm sure the Reaper King can arrange that," Upsilon answered shortly, and Viktor remembered seeing the Enslaved Reaper King leading Elena's Enslaved ground army before. The scarecrow king was apparently merely a general in Elena's forces, but thousands of creatures from various planes obeyed its and Elena's will. The five kids and Tohru couldn't hope to defeat that entire army and Delta and Upsilon on top of that! There was no stopping it, however.

"Then I'll give the call," Delta said, then threw back his head and howled an eerie, echoing howl that seemed to permeate the very air. Once finished, Delta rolled to avoid an attack from a Boggart Ram-Gang to fire a mass of fire tendrils, all of them aimed at the walls and ceiling.

"He's trying to take down the whole castle! Stop him!" Tohru shouted, and Viktor and the others leaped to action, re-directing their creatures at Delta. They were stymied, however, by Upsilon getting in the way and holding them off as the fire streamers blasted away the wall, giving a cue to the Enslaved Yosei, the Morning Star. Within seconds, the Enslaved dragon spirit was tearing off chunks of the castle, to prepare the inhabitants to greet the incoming Enslaved army. Too exhausted to take on Yosei on top of the Hunters, Viktor and the others could only watch as circular, black and purple portals flared to life on the open plains outside, and thousands of various creatures poured out.

"Here they are," Devin commented, as the miscellaneous horde charged, with the towering Reaper King in the middle pointing forward as a command to attack. Viktor saw Treefolk, elementals, giants, samurai, Myr, drakes, dragons, scarecrows, human knights, and many other strange things in the horde. On top of that, a few more portals opened up, and creatures even bigger than the Reaper King emerged to join the rest, with green diamonds on their foreheads.

"Hey. Are those Eldrazi?" Viktor asked faintly, not needing an answer. He knew the horrifying shapes of the extra-planer gods from anywhere, and a faceless trio of Ulamog's Crushers joined the rest of the Enslaved army, their purple and gray tentacles working fast to propel them across the Towabara Plain. A pair of Hand of Emrakuls joined them, and an Artisan of Kozilek as well. Eldrazi. Gods of incredible power. In Elena's Enslaved army.

"I think we're dead now," Devin said dryly, and Delta barked his laughter.

"Yeah! Now joined them, and an Artisan of Kozilek as well. Eldrazi. Gods of incredible power. In Elena's Enslaved army.

"I think we're dead now," Devin said dryly, and Delta barked his laughter.

"Yeah! Now you learn the folly of opposing Lady Elena's will!" the wolf-shaman said gleefully. "Time's up, kids. Konda is ours for the taking. Even if you kill me of Upsilon, can you take on a million of Elena's children? No!"

Viktor doubted that there were literally a million Enslaved creatures approaching him, but their numbers were still far too great for the exhausted six-some to fend off. What were they going to do now?

"Hmmmmm," Gerbie mused, poking out of his pocket home as the horde drew closer.

"What is it?" Ashley asked quickly, hoping that the gerbil's quick mind had come up with a solution.

"There was a scene like this in one of those 'movie' things Kelly showed me once," Gerbie explained, and Viktor didn't know whether to laugh or strangle the little animal for getting his hopes up. "It was something like 'Starship T –'"

"Quiet," Kelly insisted, reaching over and pushing Gerbie back into Ashley's pocket.

"Hey, just sayin'!" Gerbie defended himself, but there was still the gravity of the situation. Perhaps Konda could be convinced to help them? He was Makoto's Key Creature, after all, and might be convinced to help defend his castle from Elena's foul legions. Before Viktor could propose any plans, however, there was a disturbance.

"L-look. New portals!" Ashley exclaimed, pointing. Everyone, including Delta and Upsilon, turned to see a number of new portals opening on the Towabara Plain, except that they were blue and white in color, and the new portals flanked the oncoming Enslaved army. Then, to Viktor's amazement, a flood of silver and blue poured out from these new portals, both on the ground and in the air. Viktor didn't believe it at first, but he recognized Azorius griffin-mounted knights and sphinxes swooping down over the Enslaved army, not to mention countless Azorius knights, pikers, and battle-mages on the ground. Without any hesitation, the newcomers dug deep into the unsuspecting Enslaved army.

Delta howled his dismay. "Ah-woooooooooo! Who are they?!" he barked.

"How could they open inter-planar portals like that?" Upsilon gritted. "Only Lady Elena's power can permit such creations, unless…"

"Someone with a portion of her power is doing it," Delta said with dawning realization. His eyes bugged out. "Epsilon!"

"We must move, Delta," Upsilon told him, scurrying toward the opening in the wall. "If Epsilon is here and brought an army with him, then we can ill afford to merely watch."

"Right behind you!" Delta agreed, pouncing toward the wall's hole.

"Hey! What about our fight?" Devin hollered back.

"If you wanna fight, get out here!" Delta called back. "The fighting is on Konda's front lawn now, not in his parlor. The battle's drawing closer."

The others looked to Viktor as Delta and Upsilon departed, and he nodded. "Then we're going to find Konda and capture him, now that the Hunters aren't here. Apparently they value Elena's existing forces over a potential ally. Come on."

Before they could go back to where Konda had retreated, however, a new figure appeared, and Viktor recognized the man with green and gold armor standing before him.

"Don't make a move, children," Epsilon warned them, breathing hard with his ivory sword drawn. "I will destroy the Hunters and Enslaved army here, then we can negotiate the Key Creature here. I can use detachments of my forces to keep Konda out of this for now."

"Epsilon! How'd you get here?" Viktor demanded, gripping his Thorn Elemental card tight. The green-white Hunter looked at him.

"I have harnessed Elena's power to open inter-planar portals," he explained shortly. "That army out there is mine. I am the Grand Arbiter of the Azorius Guild in Ravnica, remember? I operate on my own now – my allegiance to Elena has been severed. Alpha inadvertently helped convince me to leave her."

"We have no reason to believe you," Makoto shot back. "Not after all the torment and trickery I've seen that you Hunters and Elena are capable of!"

Epsilon tapped the cracked emerald on his forehead. "This is one bit of proof of my claim," he said. "And that army outside intends to destroy Elena's ability to wage war. That's _my _army, the Azorius guild's fighting force. With any luck, Elena's ground forces will be destroyed and Delta and Epsilon, too."

Epsilon turned his back to Viktor and the others kids to rejoin the fierce battle raging outside the Castle. "I will assist my forces. Those Enslaved Eldrazi are not something my griffins or pike men could handle."

_Impossible, _Viktor thought in shock as Epsilon leaped into battle, confronting an Ulamog's Crusher. _How could one of the Hunters be on our side? Epsilon says that he's fighting against Elena now? He's one of her servants! But then again… his forehead emerald was cracked. Maybe that broke her mental power on him?__ Either way, he's got a whole army behind him. I… I don't think we could stop him if he ends up turning on us too._

"Viktor?" Kelly asked out of concern, tapping his shoulder. He twitched and turned to face her, feeling jumpy. "You're pale and trembling."

"I… I'm okay," Viktor assured her nervously, wiping the cold sweat off his brow. "It's just that… things are moving on so fast, and there's so many great powers around us. What are we to do?"

"For now, just wait and see how the battle turns out. Then, we'll be able to figure out the best course of action. Right?" Kelly asked bracingly. "We've made it this far, right?"

"Yeah," Viktor agreed, feeling marginally better as he watched Ulamog's Crusher try to squash Epsilon with one of its hairless, purple hands. The green-white Hunter zipped out of the way in a green-white blur, running up the Crusher's arm with his ivory sword brandished. The Crusher raised its other arm to swat Epsilon away, but was halted when Epsilon thrust his sword forth and cried, "Freezing Attack Level 2!"

"Hey. Where have I heard that before?" Devin wondered as the Crusher's hand was trapped in a cocoon of swirling blue mana. "It was from…"

"Shadowmoor. It was one of Gamma's attacks," Viktor realized with wide eyes, as Epsilon closed in on the defenseless Crusher's neck and swept his sword through its tentacle-like neck, right below its faceless bony head. The sword stroke did not kill the Crusher right away, but it made an unearthly, deep bellow of rage as it squirmed it enormous bulk, swinging its remaining hand to bat Epsilon away.

"And now, a former enemy is using a dead enemy's attacks to kill an Eldrazi," Devin commented. "Does anyone else find this weird?"

"I do!" Gerbie volunteered.

"Me too. Far out, man," Ike agreed in his teenager-like drawl.

"Hey. Little animals have no input," Devin insisted, pushing both Gerbie and Ike back into their respective pockets. "I swear, you little guys…"

"Look! Is that the annihilation the Eldrazi do?" Ashley asked, pointing at the injured Crusher. Indeed, a squad of Sky Hussars swooped in to cut off the Crusher's head, but with a swipe of its unfrozen hand, the Crusher used its horrific Eldrazi power to make the Hussars scatter into grayish dust, annihilated without even physical contact. Similarly, the Hand of Emrakuls and Artisan of Kozileks were similarly wiping out squads of Epsilon's Azorius troops with waves of their hands, giving an edge to Elena's horde.

Viktor gritted his teeth as he watched the battle progress. "We have to do something. I don't care what Epsilon told us," he insisted. "He and we have a common enemy here. He can't take on _all _the Eldrazi and Elena's ground forces. If we pool our efforts, maybe…"

"But we're worn out from battle. What can we do?" Ashley protested.

"The better question is, what can _we _do?" a sudden silky voice asked, and everyone turned to find an evil-looking male vampire with shoulder-length white hair, gray skin, and black clothing.

"Sorin Markov! What brings you?" Tohru asked, greeting his fellow Planeswalker.

"Oh, it's you, scholar boy," Sorin blinked, seeing Tohru for the first time. "I hope you've put aside your obsessive study of the Kami long enough to focus on the war against the Defiled One?"

"Most certainly! Prioritization important. Would never neglect the bigger picture," Tohru bristled in his rapid, clipped speech. "What about you, Markov? I hope you have set aside your conflict with Nissa, at least for now."

"Don't worry. We have better throats to cut than each other's," a woman's voice said, and a regal elf lady appeared right besides Sorin. Viktor recognized her as Nissa Revane, the Elvish Planeswalker from Zendikar. "Right, Sorin?"

"Yeah. I see some Eldrazi who beg for death. And that's what they'll get," Sorin said hungrily, eying the distant Eldrazi with his fierce orange eyes. He gripped his sharp knife at his side. "Ready, Nissa? Or are we going to wait for Chanda to show up? Last I saw, she was playing tag with a fire-hound elemental in the mountains of Zendikar."

"Did someone say my name?" asked Chandra Nalaar, as the fiery Planeswalker joined the others.

"Yes, I did. Glad you could show," Sorin sighed. "How could you just play around at a time like this?"

Chandra shrugged her flaming shoulders. "I just get distracted. I've got a short attention span, remember? I'm not some weirdo like you, vampire boy!"

"At least I don't have your attitude," Sorin muttered. "There's nothing weird about me." Then he raised his voice. "But no matter! Planeswalkers, we're going to attack. I smell two Hunters here. One red-green in his Ascendant State, the other a blue-black being. Kill them when you get the chance."

"Can we help?" Viktor offered.

Nissa started to object, but Sorin cut her off and turned to face Viktor. "If you can keep up, kid," he grinned fiercely.


	25. Chapter 25

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 25

Viktor never would have imagined that a simple rescue and retrieval mission would have become an all-out battle like this. He knew that Elena's ground army was rampaging all over the planes of the Multiverse and Enslaving those still outside her control, but having them here on Kamigawa was not what he or the others were prepared for.

It helped to have Planeswalker friends. And Epsilon.

"Be careful, for our enemies are numerous," Nissa warned as the Planeswalkers and kids approached the hole in the castle wall to enter the battle. The injured Ulamog's Crusher was still flailing around in agony, blindly smashing whatever was closest with earth-shuddering thumps. "Never before have we fought a battle like this."

"Relax. It'll just be like fighting off goblin exploration teams. Only there's more," Sorin said dismissively, but his increasingly wicked expression and bloodlust showed his real intentions. "I've lived for centuries, Nissa, but never had the chance to fight a real battle like this. It'll be a good time."

"Exactly my attitude," Chandra agreed, with flames bursting all over her body as she flared up her combat mode. "Plus we've got the green-white Hunter saying he wants to help! And he's proved it so far by taking a good chunk out of that Eldrazi. What say we finish it?"

"This isn't a game, but yes, we must," Nissa said seriously, weaving forest-green magic between her hands, enchanting Sorin and Chandra. "There. Make the most of it."

"Watch out, Epsilon!" Sorin shouted in glee as he leaped off the ground, pouncing right at the Ulamog's Crusher like an arrow. "I'll take this one."

Epsilon had been preparing to finish the Crusher, but backed away upon Sorin's command. "Then I'll take the rest. Good hunting," he said, going deeper into the fray. Viktor watched as Sorin grabbed hold of one of the Crusher's fingers and ran up its arm like Epsilon had, until the beast turned its featureless face to watch the vampire running up its arm. The Crusher twitched its arm to throw Sorin off, then moved its arm to seize him in its gigantic fist.

Chandra didn't let it; she too closed in on the towering Eldrazi and stood by its massed tentacle legs, firing searing fire lances at its face, blindingly bright. The Crusher bellowed deeply as its bone-like face was scorched, sparks and smoke flying from its burns. The beast staggered back, clutching at its face with its remaining hand, giving Sorin the chance to grab its elbow and bite down with his vampire fangs. Upon drawing its foul but energy-rich blood, Sorin's eyes widened and flared purple, then with a streak of black, he zoomed right past the Crusher's head, and the head was sliced right off the Crusher's body. The severed head fell to the ground with a thud and the lifeless body slumped over, twitching a few times until it settled down.

"Hot dog. That's how you do it!" Gerbie cheered, poking out again and waving his little arms. "Go go go, vampie boy!"

"It's Sorin," the vampire Planeswalker said, right behind Ashley just like that. She screamed in alarm and jumped away, Gerbie falling out of her pocket.

"You didn't have to do that!" Ashley protested to the much taller Sorin.

"Sorry, but the lust for blood makes me erratic and quick to move," Sorin said with a bloody grin. "Either help, or back away. Didn't you want to help us? We may need it. That was just one injured Eldrazi."

"True enough. Need more firepower," Tohru agreed, stepping forward. "Kids! Use your most powerful spells. Make them count. You are tired, as far as I can tell. Limited stamina."

"This'll take the edge off it," Viktor said, his Nourish card restoring the five-some's energy enough to soothe the trembling of their muscles and their heavy breathing. "Come on. We've got an army and two Hunters to kill."

"Yeah. Let's get there nice and fast," Devin said eagerly, driven by his renewed strength. A Boggart Ram-Gang appeared, and the five of them boarded it and it zoomed into battle with its haste ability. The Planeswalkers took their own route to the battle. Once into the fray, Viktor and the others got off just in time to avoid an Enslaved Treefolk from smashing them with its thick limbs, the towering wood creature growling its anger.

Viktor's Elvish Warrior enhanced with Devin's Violent Outburst was able to confront the Enslaved Treefolk, dodging its sharp branch attacks and slice its wooden body with an elvish sword, reducing it to bits.

"Aaaaaaaand... Shock! I love Cascade," Devin commented as the Violent Outburst's Cascade ability resulted in an instant Shock frying a nearby Enslaved Myr, blasting the metal creature to pieces.

"You should love protecting yourself better," Kelly advised him as Ashley's Wall of Denial stopped an Enslaved Earth Elemental from smashing Devin under its rock and dirt fist. Kelly's Drag Down trapped the Elemental in place, allowing Makoto's Silverstorm Samurai to behead it, the fox samurai moving with blinding speed and grace.

"Who are you?" an Azorius knight demanded, working his way out of the raging battle's clutches to confront the kids. The man's face was scratched, his armor dented and bloodied from battle.

"We're the card-wielding kids I'm sure the Grand Arbiter Epsilon I has told you about," Viktor told the man. "And I believe your master and we are fighting on the same side right now."

The man's eyes widened. "Ah! So you fight by the Grand Arbiter's side," he said. "Very good. This battle's a difficult one, kid. We've destroyed some of the worst of these monsters but a lot are left, including those towering beasts the Grand Arbiter calls 'Eldrazi'. What Guild do they come from?"

"Not a Guild. This goes beyond just Ravnica's business," Viktor told him, as Ashley protected him from a sneaky Enslaved Drake with a Withstand. "Ravnica is just one plane out of many in the Multiverse. Your and my enemies threaten it all."

The knight adjusted his armor, shifted his grip on his sword. "I don't know much about any 'Multiverse', but if you say this is important then I take your word for it," he shouted over the din of war. "Fight well!"

"You too," Viktor told him as a trio of Sky Hussars flew overhead, harassing a group of Enslaved Faeries.

"All right, so what's out new strateg -" Devin started to ask, before a sudden stomping sound stopped him. Everyone turned to see a gray and purple Hand of Emrakul driving through the ranks of warriors, its large claw hands sweeping back and forth to clear a path. Both Enslaved creatures and Azorius troops were swept aside in its blind charge, with others being reduced to clouds of gray ash with its Annihilator ability. Even the ground itself was being gouged away from the beast's advance.

"Any advice?" Makoto asked as the thing drew close, a high-pitched warbling roar coming from the Hand's spongy head.

"Prepare to kick some ass," Viktor responded, fired up from the sight of a towering opponent like this. He used all his might to summon one of his best creatures, Thorn Elemental. The Elemental was nearly as big as the Hand, its thorny wooden body standing at its full height, spreading its thin, sharp fingers. Viktor prepared to send it to battle, but a sudden wave of fatigue swept over him, forcing him to his hands and knees, gasping for breath as he sweated.

"Viktor!" Ashley cried in concern, rushing to his side as Devin gave the Thorn Elemental a Violent Outburst to allow it to make the first move against the Hand of Emrakul. Viktor drew a deep, shaky breath, astounded by the toll it cost him to cast the Elemental.

"I-I'm okay. I just... wasn't as prepared as I thought," Viktor gasped.

"It's your Key Creature, after all," Ashley consoled him as the Thorn Elemental and Hand of Emrakul swung at each other, slapping their hands against each other's with titanic force. "It's your most taxing spell to cast! You should have been more careful..."

"Sorry if I got ahead of myself," Viktor managed to grin as Ashley helped him stand shakily to his feet. Tohru approached, working an intricate gold spell in his right hand.

"Here. Energizing charm not unlike Nourish. Should help," Tohru said simply but rapidly as he waved his hand before Viktor, and once again he felt his fatigue drain away, his body re-vitalized. "Be more careful now, all right? Can't have you collapsing during battle!"

"Yeah. I wouldn't want to miss this," Viktor agreed, looking up to see his Thorn Elemental plunge its fingers into the Hand's chest, tearing apart its inner flesh and making it wail loudly. In revenge, the Hand pressed closer to the Elemental, punching its face and knocking it back. The Thorn Elemental staggered, pulling its hand out of the Hand's chest, purple blood dripping from its fingers. The Hand swept its arms, using Annihilator while it still had the chance. The Thorn Elemental braced itself, but the horrific power of the Eldrazi was too much. The Elemental's arms and legs began to erode into gray ash, flaking off and blowing away in the wind.

"Quick! Help it!" Viktor told Ashley, and she turned from helping an Azorius trooper to using a Turn to Mists on the Elemental to protect it from further Annihilation; Viktor doubted that even Withstand or Holy Day would do much against it. As it was, the Hand of Emrakul was stymied, confused that it could no longer Annihilate or touch its misty Thorn Elemental foe. Ashley tormented it further by casting a mana-charged Curse of Chains on it, blue and silver shackles and chains binding the Eldrazi's hands and feet.

"Hurry and fight back. I...can't hold it for long," Ashley wheezed, undoing the Turn to Mists. Viktor granted her wish and urged the Elemental forward as Tohru re-energized Ashley as well, and the Elemental seized the Hand's spongy head and with effort, tore it off. The Eldrazi's body fell to the ground much like the Crusher's had, crushing several Enslaved Creatures that had been in the way.

"We've beheaded two of them now," Devin commented with amusement, watching the Hand of Emrakul fall.

"That's the easiest way to destroy them," Sorin said, right behind Devin. The boy yelped and scampered away.

"Don't do that!" Devin objected as Sorin grinned again.

"Sorry," Sorin said without sounding like he meant it. "But really, now. How else can you defeat a titan like them? I doubt they have hearts at all. But beheading works on them like anything else."

"If... if you say so," Devin responded, still off-put. "We'll aim for the neck next time, okay?"

"I was mostly talking to myself. You all should help the knights on our side," Sorin said simply. "Your spells are better for support and fighting groups of lesser foes. Let Chandra and Nissa and I handle the Eldrazi atrocities."

"Understood," Viktor acknowledged as the vampire Planeswalker jumped away, taking off the head of an Enslaved giant from Lorwyn with his blade along the way. He couldn't help but spill a little more blood.

Recognizing Sorin's advice as sound, Viktor kept his companions close as they aided Epsilon's Azorius troops, the soldiers more than welcoming their aid as word spread that they were on the same side. In turn, Viktor was quite grateful for the Azorius troopers' presence, providing additional defense against Elena's menagerie hordes. Countless Mirrodin golems, human berserkers from Bloodridge of Dominaria, and disfigured Elementals from Shadowmoor fell before the Azorius knights' blades and the kids' support spells. One particular Azorius knight, a bulky man with brass knuckles not unlike Delta's, greatly enjoyed the Oakenform Viktor had given him, granting him the power to bash his way through countless Enslaved Akki that attacked him in suicidal waves. Devin's Predator Dragon made the perfect fire support flier for the Sky Hussar squadrons, and Ashley's Safe Passage spells allowed the Enslaved creatures' attacks to be nullified before the Azorius soldiers struck back with bloody results.

_We're fighting some of every__thing here, aren't we? _Viktor thought to himself as he watched his Elvish Warrior reinforce a pair of Azorius knights who were struggling against an Enslaved Leonin Berserker from Naya and a Phyrexian Horror. _It seems that we're taking on the entire Multiv__erse! Elena must be getting pretty close to her goals, even though we've got most of the Key Creatures and killed some of her Hunters. Her ground forces are still strong, and this probably isn't even all of them. I bet the rest of her troops are stationed __on various Planes, Enslaving more and more of them. It's time to put our foot down for good!_

"Hey, kid. Got a moment?" a horribly familiar voice asked, and Viktor jumped as a Treefolk was pushed aside when Delta charged past it, several of his moss-green flaming wolves flanking him. "I'm not done with you yet! You're conveniently right here! Come on and die!"

"Watch out! Delta's found us!" Viktor shouted to his friends, and they hurried to his side. As a show of good faith, a nearby squad of Azorius pikers answered Viktor's call to battle and attacked the Hunter, only to be burnt to cinders when they impaled the wolves and were in the range of their death explosions.

"Ah-woooooooo! The fools didn't know what they were taking on!" Delta howled, waving his staff to summon another half dozen wolves. "But you kids do! Give me a good show!"

Once again, Ashley cast her Arrow Volley Trap, the arrow volleys striking down the wolves within a safe distance. Not to be outdone, Delta used his other staff-based spell, the fire streamers. A Turn to Mists was cast on the five kids and Tohru, shielding them from the blinding fire bursts. However, when the fire cleared Delta was revealed to have positioned himself among their ranks, and Ashley was too tired to cast another offensive spell just yet.

"Ha ha! You stand no chance at close quarters!" Delta shouted, his whirling kick slamming into Devin and knocking him far away. He head-butted Kelly, sending her skidding into the dirt with a bruise on her forehead. As Delta backed up, he swung his staff to cast a few more wolves.

Then, Viktor got an idea. With the melee attacks abating, Delta had set himself right into Viktor's hands, and now he saw a chance to hit Delta with a solid attack. One of the fire wolves charged at Viktor, and he summoned Ursapine to meet that wolf halfway there. At his command, Viktor got the quilled beast to pounce on the wolf and cover it up, exposing only its spines except for a small space. With the wolf struggling under it, the Ursapine scooted the whole package close to Delta, who frowned.

"What in –?" he started to ask before Viktor shouted, "Devin! Hit the wolf with a burn spell!"

"O-okay!" Devin called back, sending a Shock right at the wolf. Viktor's plan paid off – the Shock killed the wolf, causing it to explode. However, with the Ursapine so close, the Ursapine was killed, too, its body parts blasting everywhere and that included the spines. Unable to move in time, Delta was impaled with the Ursapine's arm-sized quills, driven deep into his flesh.

"Aaaaaaaarrrrggghhh! You scum!" Delta howled in pain and rage, stomping everywhere as he bled around the quills. Seeing a chance, Kelly sent forward her Sengir Vampire forward to join Viktor's Elvish Warrior, and the two of them closed in on Delta. With claws and sword, they felled the Hunter at last, their combined attack ripping his flesh asunder and destroying him.

Viktor urged his Elvish Warrior to back up as the Vampire backed up, and the dead Delta's forehead emerald glowed bright before his ruined body exploded, kicking up dirt and creating a crater twenty feet across. Nothing remained of him except his thumb-sized forehead emerald, which lay in the middle of the crater.

Then, Viktor realized what he must do. He sent his Elvish Warrior forward to recover the emerald, but he was too slow; an Enslaved winged Elemental swooped down and secured the emerald in its talons. _If that thing gets away, it'll take the emerald to Elena and strengthen her! _Viktor realized with dread. No one else had the strength to summon a flier, but help came in the form of Sorin, who appeared out of nowhere and jumped high in the air enough to impale the Elemental and recover the emerald, then landed back on the earth.

"You got a little careless there," Sorin commented, showing Viktor the emerald in his palm. "The Defiled One's slave creature almost got away with this! But I thank you for taking down that despicable wolf shaman for me. It would have been a pain dealing with those exploding wolves."

"Yeah. You're welcome," Viktor said truthfully as he accepted the emerald and pocketed it, noting how a little gem in his pocket held so much power. As far as he knew, neither he nor the Planeswalkers could access the power in it, so the most they could do was keep Elena from getting it herself. "What about Upsilon?"

"The same. He is dead," Sorin said, digging into his pocket and producing a second emerald. "Tough bastard! His Soul Drive sword couldn't be stopped by anything as long as he stabbed with the tip. Chandra's fire finished him, though. He made her angry – bad idea on his part."

"So, what is next?" Viktor asked, hiding his elation at the Hunters' deaths.

"You wait," Sorin told him. "You kids used the last of your mana to defeat Delta. I can smell how low your mana reserves are! The tide of battle has turned. Just wait it out."

"Wait. That's it? We hang back and watch?" Viktor asked incredulously as Sorin turned to leave again. Viktor's friends moved up to join him.

Sorin turned back around. "Don't push it," he warned. "You've done enough. Us Planeswalkers are Elena's enemies too, remember? Save your strength for future confrontations. There will be later battles, and the strongest Hunter of them all, Alpha, still awaits, along with the slippery Kappa. Then there's Elena herself. Think of the future."

"All... all right," Viktor had to admit, knowing his place. He reflected on his team's performance here in Kamigawa, and decided that it was best to leave the rest to the Planeswalkers and Epsilon, just as Sorin suggested. He was not disappointed, either: the battle was a tough one, but with the deaths of Delta and Upsilon and the destruction of two of the huge Eldrazi, the battle's favor turned to the Azorius side. Slowly but surely, the motley Enslaved army was forced back, withering before the might of the remaining Azorius soldiers and their Planeswalker and Hunter superiors. Not even the remaining Eldrazi giants could halt their foes at this rate.

Viktor watches as the towering Reaper King bellowed a retreat signal to its beleaguered army, and the purple and black teleport portals of Elena's creation warped into existence. The Enslaved army retreated back into the portals, going to who knows where. All except the Reaper King: fed up with its presence, Epsilon got a boost from Sorin and leaped high into the air, his Freezing Attack Level 2 locking the towering Scarecrow general in place. With a mighty swing of his ivory sword, Epsilon relieved the Reaper King of its ragged, pumpkin-like head, allowing the body to collapse around the Enslaved creatures as they abandoned their general to get off of Kamigawa. At last, the final portal winked shut, and the last Enslaved creature was gone. Only thousands of bodies were left scattered across the Towabara Plain to commemorate what had happened.

"That's right, you runty chumps. Run!" Gerbie shouted after the last few Enslaved creatures as they retreated through the last portal, and Viktor and the others couldn't help but share his relief and humor.

"That was… close," Makoto commented, his eyes wide. He held up his Konda, Lord of Eiganjo card. "All this so I can get my Key Creature, too."

"It's the last free one," Ashley told him. "We captured Kelly's in Ravnica."

"Oh! Well, that explains it," Makoto mused, turning to look back at the Eiganjo Castle as the Planeswalkers approached. "How am I going to get it…?"

His question was answered when Konda himself came out of the Castle, walking toward his master. He motioned with his hands.

"Do you want to be taken into the card? So I can use you to fight Elena?" Makoto asked the wizened human lord, and Konda nodded, pointing at the card and then himself.

"I guess Key Creatures can't talk," Makoto noted as he absorbed Konda into his card, meaning that all five of them were back in the kids' control for the first time since their Lorwyn adventure. "So, Sorin! How was…"

"It was a good battle, and good to see the Defiled One's army routed," Sorin said heavily. "But what about this one? Epsilon, one of her best children?"

"I already said. I am on your side," Epsilon insisted, sheathing his ivory sword. "What could I gain from turning on you? I possess the powers of Gamma but could not destroy you all."

"You could be spying on us," Nissa accused.

"I help fight for you and this is how I'm treated?" Epsilon argued. He tapped his forehead emerald. "I am free of Elena's will! I hate her as much as the rest of you. I would have been Delta's partner otherwise, since Theta and Omega would have been with their master Alpha otherwise. _And _I made this Azorius army for the purpose of…"

"Purpose of?" Chandra challenged him.

"For creating my own establishment of power, to make one to rival Elena's," Epsilon admitted. "Beginning with Ravnica. However, the Enslavement process is happening too fast for that to work now. I can only use this army to help you fight Elena. Not for myself."

"I cannot trust the spawn of that Defiled One," Sorin muttered.

"S-Sorin… this isn't really the time to let our differences keep us apart," Ashley protested. "We're desperate, even though we have all five Key Creatures with us –"

"This man will not have my trust," Sorin bit back, stepping toward Ashley and pointing at Epsilon. "He is as tainted as the Defiled One is! I want him gone."

Viktor had had enough of Sorin and Nissa's attitude about Epsilon. There was too much to lose. "Well, if you won't work with him, I'll allow that," he told the vampire and elf Planeswalkers. "But I will work with him in the war against Elena, even if it's by myself. If you guys won't trust him, then he and I will fight Elena without you. You can sit back and let us do the hard work."

Sorin's jaw worked, then he burst out laughing. "You have nerve, I can say that," the vampire said with mirth, making Nissa raise her eyebrows. "Fine. You make a good point, I see. Those who won't cooperate with others aren't fit to fight against the Defiled One, huh? Very well. I will call Epsilon my brother in arms… at least until the Defiled One's blight is gone for good."

"And I… I must express the same," Nissa said reluctantly.

"I was going to fight with him anyway," Chandra put in.

Epsilon stepped forward, bowing his head. "Then may we spill Elena's dirty blood together," he told the Planeswalkers. "My Azorius army and my own powers will be there for you."

"Then that is that. Kamigawa bores me. Let's go somewhere fun and discuss our next move there," Sorin declared.

"No, we are going back to Bant, where the others will be waiting for us," Nissa argued in a final tone. "Bardon and Elspeth and King Teramont will certainly be awaiting our return."

"Yes, yes," Sorin gave up. "Sorry, Epsilon, but your flesh is still Elena's, even if your will isn't. There are barriers around Bant that would shun you if you tried to follow us."

"Then I'll garrison my troops in Ravnica to allow them to rest, then meet you elsewhere," Epsilon said. "Perhaps Dominaria, or at least a region of it that isn't Enslaved? The children will know where to find me to let me know when to meet you on Dominaria. My troopers will give them clearance."

"Fine with me," Viktor and Sorin agreed, and that was that.


	26. Chapter 26

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 26

"Is this true, Viktor? Is this _true? _One of Elena's Hunters has declared his loyalty to us?"

Georgi was dumbfounded, shocked out of his mild, almost casual manner when Viktor was meeting with him in a quiet room in the castle of King Teramont on Bant. It was approaching evening, yet another fiery gold sunset taking place over the grassy hills dotted with tree clusters, small lakes, and Rhox monasteries. The rest of Viktor's friends were present, Makoto commenting on how long it had been that he had been here, having been in Elena's possession ever since going to Kamigawa to capture Ryusei, Devin's Key Creature.

Viktor wasn't going to back down if his grandfather disapproved, or even if the other Planeswalkers here disapproved. He took a deep breath of musty castle air. "Yes, grandfather. Epsilon has shattered his allegiance with Elena. He proved it by showing that his forehead emerald is broken, since those emeralds are the Hunters' link to Elena's power and influence. Plus, he helped us massacre Elena's ground forces at the Towabara Plain, and even let us capture Konda instead of capturing it himself. Thanks to him, we now have all five Key Creatures again."

Makoto held up his Konda card as emphasis, and Viktor resisted the temptation to touch his fingers to the Thorn Elemental card in his pocket. Five thin pieces of cardboard meant so much in this conflict! Georgi sighed deeply, running a hand over his deceptively youthful face. "I hope you accept the responsibility for this, Viktor," he warned his grandson. "Do you know what a betrayal by one as powerful as Epsilon would do to us at this stage? We've come too far to allow defeat now."

Viktor felt annoyed. "We have no other choice," he argued, feeling weird that he was arguing in a Hunter's defense. "Epsilon proved his loyalty, I already said it! He is working in our self-interest. He did say how he initially planned to make his own empire in Ravnica to counter Elena's, but he'd rather fight with us than have us conquered one at a time by Elena's Enslaved legions and the remaining Hunters. Alpha is still out there somewhere, and we never defeated Kappa, either."

Ashley, Kelly, Devin, and Makoto held their breath in anticipation after Viktor's words, anxious to see what Georgi would say. Then Georgi smiled.

"Excellent, Viktor!" he congratulated his grandson.

"Huh?"

"I knew you wouldn't make a decision like that unless you were absolutely certain about what you were doing," Georgi assured him. "And that you'd be willing to stand by your decision. I admit, I am still uneasy about calling Epsilon an ally, but you did what you had to, and I certainly look forward to seeing if Epsilon keeps his word. How can we contact him?"

Relieved, Viktor explained, "His base is on Ravnica, in Prahv, the capital building of the Azorius Guild. He's got a bunch of Azorius troopers there as well, and he wants to meet us in Dominaria when we're ready to carry out a joint operation."

Georgi considered this. "Well, if that's the case, then –" he started before Elspeth burst into the room and knocked aside the door in her anger. _I'll never get used to seeing stuff like that, _Viktor thought in a funny tone. _Planeswalkers on the car__ds just barging into my room!_

Elspeth waved a hand, an angry frown creasing her normally attractive features. "Bardon!" she demanded. "Is this true?"

"Is what true?" Georgi asked her mildly.

Elspeth actually stamped an armored foot down. "That one of the Defiled One's Hunters is allying himself with us?"

"Oh, that," Georgi nodded. "Yes, Elspeth, I can understand that you're upset about this. However, we have little other choice in the matter. We –"

"He's a betrayal waiting to happen," Elspeth argued. She absently gripped the hilt of her sword. "I've seen the terror and hate that such an act can bring, and would rather not see it again!"

"Yes, Elspeth. You were betrayed by others in your wandering before finding the refuge of honor and purity, Bant," Georgi appealed to her, and Viktor didn't recognize this fact from the player's guide bio about her but figured that the little bio couldn't cover her whole life.

"I would rather slay the beast right now," Elspeth growled.

Georgi understood. "Sorin, too, was slow to trust him," he added. "But the facts are with us. Epsilon must be allowed to help us, since storming Elena's hideout will not be easy at all. Epsilon may know the way to take her down more easily."

"Isn't the Defiled One's home the Minamo Academy on Kamigawa?" Elspeth asked.

Georgi shook his head. "That place has been abandoned by her," he said. "Enslaved creatures still roam about it, but Elena herself is hiding out on one of the other shards of Alara. Jace secured this information for us."

"Why is she there?" Kelly asked, confused.

"Apparently, she and Nicol Bolas have an understanding," Georgi said heavily. "I have not spoken to Bolas in some time, or seen him since, but apparently he's even weaker than when I last saw him. He tried to ram the five shards of Alara together to create a super-powerful Maelstrom of mana to draw upon and recharge his strength. At the same time, the armies of the five Shards would be engulfed in war, giving him cover. Elena has decided to hold Naya, Jund, and Esper in place and prevent the Maelstrom and deny Bolas what he wants."

"To keep him from becoming a powerful rival to her?" Viktor guessed.

"Indeed," Georgi nodded. "Her magic is keeping those three shards apart, and her death would not undo the spell's effect. In fact, she's the only one who can undo her own twisted magic: if Bolas were to kill her, he would condemn himself to die a painful, slow death as his life energy ebbed to nothing. Therefore, we have to get to her as soon as we can. If we weaken her enough, she may try to complete the Maelstrom and feed off if it herself, and Bolas could help us in that event. There's no guarantee, but it's worth a try. In the meantime, we have to weaken her defenses."

"How can we do that?" Viktor asked.

"Tezzeret found Kappa on Mirrodin," Georgi said. "That beast is devouring everything metal in sight, gaining strength and increasing his body size. Slay him before he becomes too powerful to defeat, all right? There isn't much time."

*o*o*o*o*

"Does anyone else smell rust?"

"_Yes, _Devin. We all smell the rust and metal of this world!"

"Well, just saying…"

"Hush, children," Tezzeret scolded Devin and Kelly, who had embarked on their usual verbal sparring upon reaching Mirrodin, the baffling plane of metal and flesh made one. Here, artifice and nature melded into a single whole, a world created by the Planeswalker Karn and the current stomping ground of the Hunter Kappa.

"What's our first move, Tezzeret?" Viktor inquired, who knew that Tezzeret was in his element here and Viktor was not. Here, Viktor could see that his party was standing on a plain of rolling steel and iron hills with assorted sheet-iron-like surfaces, like a welder did a sloppy job assembling the place. On patches of real dirt here, gray-green grasses grew in tufts and patches, with tiny aluminum bugs and lizards scampering about while blinkmoths wafted through the air. The hills here were on the edge of the Razor Fields, where thousands of acres of tall blade-grasses grew in their sweeping metal beauty. Then, to the right, there was the Tangle, a gigantic and deadly forest of copper trees home of the Tel-Jilad trolls, elves, and many species of wild beasts.

"Our first move is to find Kappa's tracks," Tezzeret explained, the Esper-born artificer setting off without warning. His smooth blue armor and etherium right arm seemed somehow at home here, and yet completely foreign and alien. Was that how the inhabitants of the Planes saw all the Planeswalkers? "It devours metal to replenish its strength, by what my analysis of it has told me."

"Hey. When did you study Kappa? You never met it," Viktor frowned, jogging to catch up to the artificer Planeswalker. The others hurried to catch up as well, with Gerbie freaking out at this "endless scrap yard" of a place.

Tezzeret gave Viktor a funny look. "I _have _met him before," he told Viktor. "He tried to infiltrate Esper at one point, seeking to Enslave my home."

"Whoa! I – I wasn't aware," Viktor said in awe. "You drove him out, though, didn't you?"

Tezzeret sighed deeply, closing his eyes. "Yes, at extreme cost," he recounted. "I was once a fugitive from Esper, having been chased off by the Seekers of Carmot. You recall that I found my way to Grixis after that? I would have become more involved with Nicol Bolas there had the Defiled One not began her Enslavement of the Multiverse, encouraging me to join my fellow Planeswalkers there. Anyway, being on Grixis taught me about mind control, and I was able to block Kappa's Enslavement process on Esper long enough to keep everyone on my side and fight it."

"Wait. You know how to suppress the Enslavement?" Viktor asked excitedly, aware that the Hunters, and Elena especially, could warp nearby creatures to Elena's will simply by being near them. "By being on Grixis?"

"I could tell that events would have led me in a different direction had Elena not appeared," Tezzeret went on. "I fear what would have become of me, but now I stand to play my part defending the Multiverse from the Defiled One. No, I can't liberate the Multiverse by myself; I am just one man, Planeswalker or otherwise. Rather, I can suppress Kappa's Enslavement process here and makes destroying him easier."

"I bet it has already started the process," Viktor added darkly.

"There are many unknown factors here, but we cannot afford to fail here," Tezzeret said. "Stay sharp, children of the cards."

"We're right behind you, Tezzeret," Ashley promised him.

"That is good," Tezzeret nodded approvingly. "But by now, we should have –"

He was cut off by a sudden voice. "Travelers! It comes! The Maw!"

"What?" Viktor frowned, seeing a Leonin rushing towards them, the lion-man having apparently run some way.

"I… am warning all who come too close," the Leonin panted, doubling over and wheezing past his canines. He was clearly not a warrior, but a messenger. His fearful eyes looked up at the humans. "The Maw approaches. Flee!"

"What is this Maw? Tell me!" Tezzeret demanded alertly.

The Leonin gasped for another breath, then pointed the direction Viktor's party had been heading towards. "Be you strangers?" he demanded. "It's here! Not the Levelers, but the grounds and seas themselves devouring all! The Maw!"

"Is he… crazy?" Ashley asked nervously as Gerbie retreated into her pocket.

"I've seen too many of those 'disaster flick' things at the apartment to want to see this," the Simic gerbil said firmly, and Ike was of the same idea.

_Disaster flick or not, we shouldn't ignore this, _Viktor thought. He asked the Leonin, "When did this Maw appear?"

"Perhaps… two weeks ago," the lion-man answered, and Viktor realized that it had to be related to Kappa! The artifact Hunter had been defeated on Jund and retreated here about two weeks ago, and he had to be at least partly responsible for whatever this Maw was.

"Then we're going. Come on, all," Viktor encouraged the others, setting off toward this Maw.

"Wait! Do you not value your lives?" the Leonin cried, flattening his ears in fear as he pursued the departing group.

"It's okay. We're here to help," Viktor assured the Leonin over his shoulder.

"Well… if you say so," the Leonin hesitated. "But -"

The Leonin was cut off when a long bulge snaked its way across the hills and rose into the air, the very hilltops splitting apart as a metal tentacle rose and thrashed upward, breaking the Leonin's bones and flinging him far into the air and far away.

Ashley yelped in terror as Tezzeret blanched, shocked by what he saw as much as everyone else. The giant metal tentacle, thick as a tree trunk, rose like a snake and whipped to the side, intending to thrash the kids the way it had that Leonin. Quick on the upkeep, Viktor cast his Creeping Mold card and the gray-green moss and spores ate away at the tentacle, making it flounder and miss. Viktor prepared to finish off the tentacle and demand answers from Tezzeret when the ground began to shake, quaking back and forth and throwing everyone off their feet and onto the hard ground.

"Whoa! What in…?" Makoto cried out, before Viktor's heart froze when he heard a deep rumble from underground, like a mammoth beast growling its anger and hunger to accompany the quakes. He fought to get back on his feet against the seething rumbles, everyone else looking terrified.

"There is something very wrong with this Plane!" Tezzeret glowered, staggering to his feet. "I can sense the unnatural vibes here; this is no natural disaster. Kappa's twisted magic is at work, and I believe he's tainted the whole Plane!"

"Can he Enslave an entire Plane?" Viktor questioned with a grunt, aware that the trembles were getting stronger. He almost fell over until Devin helped him up. "I haven't heard of that happening."

"Perhaps he – impossible! Beware!" Tezzeret shouted, cutting himself off when he was met with a horrifying sight. Viktor whipped his head to the left and saw one of the taller hills start to stretch and rise, as though swelling with a hot gas inside. The very ground groaned and strained with the cataclysm, and a distinct growl of rage rumbled in the ground before the hill swelled even more, splitting into several parts.

Into fingers. On a hand.

"The Plane's coming alive! Run!" Viktor shouted, and in a panic Devin summoned Predator Dragon and everyone hopped on board the dragon's back, the scaly beast taking flight without any hesitation – it too feared the unnatural ground here. At Devin's mental command, the Predator Dragon climbed higher into the air, banking to the left to swoop back to the rising hill in time to see it rise further out of the ground, splitting into an entire humanoid hand!

"Back away! You fool!" Tezzeret roared over the deafening sound of the hill stretching into an arm at Devin, and the boy pulled the Predator Dragon back and had it hover, flapping its wings to stay in place. The hill-hand was still rising, each finger over a hundred feet long and the arm rising to the elbow, bending forward as the fingers splayed to seize the relatively tiny Predator Dragon. A massive shadow passed over the Dragon and its mounts as the silvery, tsunami-like hand closed in to seize them and crush them in its grip.

That was quite enough, in Viktor and Devin's minds. Fed up with the Plane itself having its way, the Dragon backed out of the hand's grip, allowing the titanic hand to close on thin air as Creeping Mold was cast, amplified with Viktor's green mana aura. The spell formed a sizzling thick bolt of green-gray metal-eating mold, splattering onto the hand and spreading like blight, eating away the metal. Devin's Deconstruct spell aided the process further, and the spell forced apart the joints of the giant metal hand, weakening it further to the Creeping Mold.

"And I shall finish it!" Tezzeret shouted, as the hand threatened to overcome the two spells and renew its attack. He flung a boomerang-like arc of crackling, electric-blue mana at the hand and the bolt raced through it, breaking it apart again. Critically damaged, the hand slumped and fell apart, only to split into millions of tiny pieces.

"Hey. Are those Myrs?" Makoto asked, and he was right.

"Alpha Myrs! Millions of them!" Tezzeret shouted, and Devin got the Predator Dragon higher into the air as the Alpha Myrs pounced into the air and nearly caught the Dragon. Ashley's Wall of Denial formed a blue-gold shield that the charging Myrs slammed helplessly against, clawing at the slick magical surface with their metallic hands. Without warning, they broke through it, still raging at the kids on the Dragon.

"If that's how you want to play it, fine!" Devin cried before whipping out a new card. Viktor saw it and tried to shout a warning, only to be too late. "Echoing Ruin!"

The red spell boomed like a thunderclap, a bone-shuddering series of shock waves blasting from the card held high in its caster's hand. The artifact-wrecking spell blasted apart the Alpha Myrs in waves, their countless parts falling back to the ground.

"Yeah! They all have the same name, they all die!" Devin shouted in glee before fatigue overcame him and he fainted, overwhelmed from the enormous tax of casting that spell on so many artifacts at once. He slumped forward and his mana connection to the Predator Dragon was cut, making it wither. The Dragon screeched and fell, dissolving into red mana as it plummeted back to Mirrodin's still-quaking surface, and only Ashley's Withstand kept everyone alive as the Dragon's dying form dissolved away around them.

"Stupid! We don't over-use our spells!" Kelly scolded the limp Devin, swatting his head as he lay on the protective shield cast by the Withstand, sparing the kids from the quakes of the surface. Viktor ignored that scene and noticed instead that the Alpha Myr parts were falling to the metal ground, all right, but were being absorbed back into it as they fell, like they were fused back in. How was that possible? He asked.

"I cannot say," Tezzeret shook his head. "I have seen many of the wonders of Etherium on Esper, but this is a different Plane and we're dealing with unnatural magic."

"Then what should we do?" Viktor asked before someone else cut him off.

"I… eat! I… eat… all!" a loud, grating voice growled in a terrifying baritone, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Viktor whipped his head around, seeking the source of the voice. He thought he recognized the voice, and was re-affirmed when a dragon-like head came out of the ground a hundred feet away, extending on a long neck. The head was enormous, its two glowing green eyes staring down the kids above its sharp tooth-filled mouth. The head was made of countless assorted scrap metal parts, loosely fused to make a whole that was connected to the ground. Viktor saw a tiny thumb-sized emerald on the dragon head's forehead, the gem glowing bright green against the silver surface.

"Kappa! It _is _the Plane!" Viktor cried in realization, everything falling into place.

"Impossible," Tezzeret breathed in shock. "That cannot be… the Defiled One's servant…"

"Isn't just… corrupting the place," Devin gasped, waking up and crawling over to his friends. "We've got to destroy it. Or we're all dead!"

"I… eat! I… eat… all!" Kappa grated again, opening and closing its dragon mouth to form the words. Then it breathed a plume of hot, evaporated iron at the kids like fire.

Kelly's Wall of Bone regenerated itself enough times to hold back the seething attack and allow a quick escape, Viktor realizing that he'd have to go all out. His Simic Sky Swallower was cast into existence, the gigantic Leviathan eager to do battle once again, having acquired a taste for fighting Hunters ever since Beta. Viktor steered the Sky Swallower carefully, unsure how long the beast's hide could stand up to Kappa's molten breath – he would have to be careful attacking, and wait for Safe Passage to be used first.

Kappa was not willing to wait. Apparently enraged by the opposition it faced, and possessive of the Plane it was in the middle of eating and merging with, Kappa exhaled another breath of molten metal at the Sky Swallower. Ready this time, Ashley used Safe Passage just in time, casting a temporary angel who flapped her wings and parted the molten metal like water. Viktor urged the Sky Swallower forward and charged at Kappa's mouth, prepared to enchant his creature with an Oakenform until the Sky Swallower lurched and rumbled and hissed in pain and rage.

"Hey! What's wrong, big buy?" Devin asked the Sky Swallower in concern, kneeling to pat its thick hide before it lurched again, throwing all of its riders off balance. Kelly cast a quick Drag Down, tweaked in order to keep everyone on the Sky Swallower's back with swamp muck but not harm them. Secure, Viktor looked over the Sky Swallower's haunch and saw the ground below rolling and roiling like water about to boil, almost a sea-like movement. And as he watched, a tall spike shot out of the roiling metal hills and shot up right at the Sky Swallower, and Viktor quickly gave it a mental command to dodge.

"Kappa's trying to stab the Sky Swallower!" Viktor shouted over the din of both the Sky Swallower and Kappa roaring as he got the Simic beast moving to dodge the spike. The tall spire missed, thrusting through the air before sinking back into the hills. A second later, it came up again, grazing the Swallower's haunch.

"Where is that coming from? From inside the Plane?" Makoto speculated with a grunt as he and the others were tossed about in place from the Swallower's movements. Determined to get back on the offensive, Viktor ordered everyone to cast support creatures as he steered the Swallower back at Kappa's dragon-like head. Dodging another ground-spike, the Sky Swallower obeyed Viktor's order and charged at Kappa's head as its owner plated it with Oakenform armor to protect it. A Volcanic Dragon, Sengir Vampire, Mothrider Samurai, and Angel of Mercy flanked it, prepared for any ambushes Kappa set up.

Meanwhile, Kappa had its own idea of self-defense: before the Sky Swallower could reach the dragon head, the entire ground rose as a sheer wall, towering over the Swallower and forming an utter barricade, and thousands of spikes poked out of the metal surface like a bed of nails.

"Whoa! Turn back!" Viktor shouted at the Sky Swallower and it complied, snaking back the way it came as the wall moved forward to impale it. Stymied, the Kappa-wall launched all of its spikes, all of which morphed into metallic insects that buzzed towards the Sky Swallower in a swarm.

"Bug alert!" Gerbie joked as the thousands of eagle-sized insects swarmed about, their stingers each as big as a pencil. The defensive creatures all swung and hacked at the swarm but it was slow work, and for every insect that was broken a dozen more moved in to riddle the creatures with holes. Quickly, Viktor got Elvish Warrior into play and enchanted it with Flight of Fancy, giving it blue ethereal wings to keep it aloft. Equipping the Warrior with Trusty Machete, Viktor watched as the Elvish Warrior used its expert combat grace to down many of the metal insects, backed up by Tezzeret. Not impressed with the bugs, he clapped his hands together and parted them, releasing a hundred blue static bolts that fried the nearest insects around him, destroying them.

The ground rumbled again as the barrier wall fell and the dragon head was revealed again, watching the battle hungrily with its glowing eyes. Then, as though by mental command, the surviving bugs all flittered away from the defensive creatures and went to the Simic Sky Swallower's underbelly, out of reach.

"And what are they going to do?" Devin challenged Kappa. "The Swallower's got armor! Those stingers won't…"

There was a huge blast as every metal insect exploded at once from the Swallower's underbelly, apparently overloading their own energy cores to self-detonate. The resulting explosion tore a huge chunk out of the Sky Swallower's belly, injuring the beast and making it lose its ability to hover. It fell right toward the ground like a stone, and Viktor saw with horror that the ground was churning and splitting apart, forming a wide circular mouth large enough to devour the entire Sky Swallower. Thousands of human-sized teeth lined the mouth as molten metal seeped up from the depths, almost like saliva.

"And now we're going to be… eaten by a Plane," Devin complained faintly. "Just our luck."

"Hmmmmmm…" Gerbie pondered, watching the circular mouth form.

"Huh?" Viktor asked, hoping that the little gerbil had come up with a plan.

Gerbie pointed. "This looks like the pit creature from Return of the J –" he started before Ashley banished him to her pocket and zipped it almost all the way closed to allow air to breathe. The problem persisted, however, as the ravenous maw was still there and the Sky Swallower was getting close. The teeth began rotating on the mouth, going around faster and faster as the molten metal seeped higher up, washing over the teeth and making them glow red-hot.

Then, Tezzeret took action. Planting his feet firmly on the Sky Swallower's back, he conjured an aura of crackling blue, black, and white mana that made the hair on Viktor's arms stand up as Tezzeret charged up his spell. "What are you going to do?" Viktor asked in a rush.

"Save our hides! So we may yet destroy this abomination!" Tezzeret shouted over the rumbling of the giant mouth and the hungry roars of the dragon head. With a heave, Tezzeret slammed his palms onto the Simic Sky Swallower's wood-armored back, surging his power through it and making it twitch. As the mouth in the ground drew close, Tezzeret now stood and threw a bolt of his static electricity-like spell at the mouth, and at once the mouth seemed to glow for a minute right before the Simic Sky Swallower halted, floating in mid-air as though a giant, invisible net had caught it.

"What did you do?" Kelly asked Tezzeret in amazement.

"I altered the polarity of this beast and of the mouth," the Esper Planeswalker explained. "They will repel and the beast cannot fall or touch the mouth. It buys us enough time to –"

Tezzeret whipped his head around to see the dragon head lurching closer to the hovering Simic Sky Swallower, grating its hunger.

"I… eat! I… eat… all!" Kappa screeched, opening and closing the dragon-head mouth. With that, the dragon head snapped forward, intent on chomping down on everyone on the Sky Swallower.

"Change the head's polarity! To keep it away!" Viktor shouted as he and the others dodged the head's bite, the massive jaws closing on thin air. The Sengir Vampire, Mothrider Samurai, Angel of Mercy, and Elvish Warrior attacked the dragon head on their owners' command as Tezzeret charged up his spell, and Devin's Deconstruct and Kelly's Drag Down supported the creatures' attacks. The swamp of the Drag Down and the corrosive acids of the Deconstruct forced Kappa to buckle its dragon head, almost seeming to wince as the creatures struck its metal hide with heavy attacks.

"Now!" Viktor shouted, and Tezzeret fired his polarity-changing spell again, but Kappa was one step ahead of them. Viktor could have sworn that Kappa chuckled in its dragon-like voice as it detached a portion of its forehead and launched it forward, the plate taking the brunt of Tezzeret's polarity-altering spell. The plate was instantly altered, forced to move away from the same-charged Simic Sky Swallower. The plate zoomed away as though fired from cannon, but the rest of Kappa's dragon head was unaffected.

The creatures attacking the dragon head struck it again, but their luck had run out. Kappa pushed through Ashley's too-late Withstand spell and swung its head to ran the Sengir Vampire, forcing the Vampire to slam into the Angel of Mercy, knocking them both off-balance as they were crowded into each other. Before they could recover, Kappa re-adjusted the metal in its dragon head and shot out a long spike from its cheek, impaling both the Vampire and Angel like shish-kebab, killing both.

"Those spikes again!" Devin commented angrily as the dragon head advanced, pushing aside the Mothrider Samurai as it closed its jaws on the Elvish Warrior, biting it in half. Then, the head shot out another spike at the Mothrider Samurai. The Samurai dodged the attack, until a second spike shot out and impaled it. Viktor would have cast a support spell, but the spikes came out too fast, and it was hard to tell where they'd come from! There had to be a way…

"Maybe out Key Creatures?" Makoto suggested in a panic as Kappa's dragon head advanced on them, grating its eating manta again.

"Even against Delta or Beta, we didn't need them," Ashley reasoned as she cast a Wall of Denial to hold off the dragon head, Viktor's Vine Trellis reinforcing it. "They were stronger than Kappa and we beat them through our own strength and wits."

"But aren't the Key Creatures our trump cards, so to speak?" Devin protested. "I want to use Ryusei! And this guy ain't like how he was before, like on Jund. Kappa's becoming a Plane!"

"This abomination is an _it, _not a 'he'," Tezzeret growled. "Perhaps the Key Creatures could help, but their ultimate role is to destroy the Defiled One herself. Only the power of the Planeswalkers and the Key Creatures can destroy her for good, and if they die they do not return. Exercise caution."

"They won't come back like our other creatures, then?" Viktor asked, remembering how many times he had cast and re-cast his main creatures in his battles. Fighting Drake, Elvish Warrior, Assault Zeppelid, and even his Simic Sky Swallower had come back from death more than once, when his mana aura forced their return. It was too risky.

"Keep your Key Creatures in your decks," Viktor advised as Kappa's dragon head bashed at the combined wall. "Even if one dies, then all this is for nothing. We've got to defeat Kappa some other way!"

"Let's hope that way makes itself apparent," Devin said nervously as Kappa broke through the Wall of Denial and started to tear through the Vine Trellis. "Maybe our Zendikar cards?"

"Whatever it takes," Viktor said firmly as Kappa broke through the Trellis, its dragon head snaking forward.

"I… eat! I… eat… all!" Kappa said yet again as the ground around the base of its head began to contort far below. Extra metal from Mirrodin's surface flowed up Kappa's neck and head, reinforcing it. Viktor prepared to counter battering-ram tactics, but was taken aback as the extra metal bulged off of Kappa's head and formed various indigenous Mirrodin creatures, all of them falling onto the Sky Swallower's back, prepared to fight. Golems, Vedalken Hoverguards, Myrs, Tangle beasts, and more all charged in a small swarm as the Kappa head raised itself again, completing its task.

"It's not attacking us directly?" Viktor wondered as the dragon head rose into the air and roared hungrily as its minions charged across the Sky Swallower's back. There was no more time to waste, however: several Samurai marched from Makoto's position, drawing their katanas for battle. Viktor and Devin got their creatures onto the battlefield for the melee as Ashley's angels provided aerial support and Kelly's Darkness blinded the creatures and allowed the kids' creatures to attack first, scoring some quick kills. Viktor had forgotten how impressive Makoto's samurai creatures were as they expertly sliced apart the various metal creatures, taking few hits in return. Nagao, Bound by Honor beheaded a Myr and leaped from its corpse, landing on a golem's reaching arm and ran up that arm. Nagao leaped into the air again and spun around, his katana slicing off the golem's head and neck, landing as the headless beast collapsed and fell off the Simic Sky Swallower's back and into the giant mouth on the ground.

_What's it doing now? _Viktor wondered, watching the dragon head again as Kappa's minions were pushed back. The dragon head roared and the circular mouth churned, bad signs. The dragon head then snaked over to the circular mouth and crawled into it, the mouth eating the dragon head. Then, the entire Plane's surface shook again as the surface started to sink, dozens of smaller mouths appearing and chomping on the surface, almost like Kappa was eating itself. Then, Viktor saw that the surrounding ground came closer from miles away, and the mouths started eating all that ground ravenously, swallowing the metal. As the mouths worked, the ground below the Sky Swallower lurched upwards, swelling higher and higher.

"Kappa is eating more of the Plane and converting it!" Tezzeret gritted as his punch knocked apart a Myr that got too close. "See? Kappa draws the land around it to devour, spreading its power!"

"I… think you're right," Viktor realized with dread, seeing that even the creatures on the ground were devoured too. Then, when the ground was all eaten and re-spread across the ground in Kappa's control, Kappa re-formed the dragon head and approached the Simic Sky Swallower, bulging with excess metal once again. The metal became molten and dripped down, forming the creatures as the drops landed. These hundreds of creatures reinforced the original wave, and the kids' creatures were hard-pressed to fend off the second wave. Meanwhile, Kappa's dragon head yet again roared, "I… eat! I… eat… all!" and sank into the circular mouth once again, devouring bordering lands even faster than before, almost frantic.

_I'll bet that this is all wearing__ it out, _Viktor realized, casting an Assault Zeppelid. _The act of eating and sending creatures at us exhausts its energy, so it eats more and attacks us again, making a cycle. Kappa won't stop eating until it has swallowed down the whole Plane! It won't st__op unless… __oh. I see._

"Viktor! Quit staring and help!" Kelly cried in a rush as Ashley's Arrow Volley Trap narrowly protected her from a golem attack, buying Devin time to flank the golems with a Giant Ambush Beetle.

"Oh… right!" Viktor agreed, getting a Fighting Drake out to help, rushing over to Kelly. "Listen! I think I know how to defeat Kappa. I will need your help, and certain cards."

"Which ones? What do you have planned?" Kelly asked testily, her Grixis Slavedriver acting as a bodyguard.

"I've figured out Kappa's mechanisms," Viktor told her over the din of combat. "It needs to eat more and more and add to its bulk to keep itself going. Its appetite has gone out of control, and this process is sped up by Kappa fighting us. All we need to do is reverse the process of eating and bulking up."

"How?"

"Do you have Vicious Hunger and Nausea with you?"

Kelly looked through her handful of black cards. "Yes, I've got them here," she said, picking them out of the stack as she grinned. "I think I see your pattern here. What are you going to use?"

"Twiddle, to reverse how Vicious Hunger will affect Kappa," Viktor told her, showing her that card: "Tap or untap target artifact, creature, or land."

"And make Kappa the reverse of hungry… make it feel bloated and over-full?" Kelly asked with amusement. "Along with Nausea?"

"There's no other way I can think of," Viktor admitted. "Kappa has nearly infinite warriors to fight us with; we're just five kids and a Planeswalker against all of Mirrodin. Time to get unconventional."

"We'll aim for… well, Kappa's everywhere," Kelly noted with amusement. "Let's try it."

"Return to the fight!" Tezzeret shouted at them, fending off a hoverguard squad with his magical attacks.

"Tezzeret! We're going to defeat Kappa with these cards. Cover us," Viktor told him, showing Tezzeret the cards he and Kelly assembled and outlining his plan. Tezzeret agreed to keep them protected during their plan, but was cut off when an artifact Juggernaut appeared, quite out of nowhere.

"What the hell! Juggernaut!" Devin cried in alarm.

"Just hold it off!" Viktor ordered him until the artifact Juggernaut plowed through everyone and hit Kelly before she could cast Vicious Hunger and Nausea on Kappa. Her charcoal-black mana aura protected her, but her spells were knocked askew.

"Hang on!" Viktor exclaimed before casting Creeping Mold, the molds eating away at the Juggernaut. Still burning away, the beast swung around and hit Viktor too, before he could get Vine Trellis out. The wheeled monster rolled forward to crush him, still being dissolved, before Tezzeret leaped on top of it and broke it apart with his Etherium arm.

"Rid us of this monster," Tezzeret said simply before leaping away, and Viktor helped Kelly up before they got their spells cast at last. A purple, wavy strand of mana from her Vicious Hunger card and Viktor cast his Twiddle, his blue spell warping and twisting Kelly's own spell. At the same time as the warped hunger bolt hit a metal hill, Kelly added her Nausea to the mix, a cloud of black dust settling on the landscape.

It worked: Kappa lurched again, the hills twisting and gurgling with discomfort and agony as the spells took their effects. The giant dragon head roared, working its jaws in confusion and sickness.

"I… eat! I…eat… all!" Kappa rumbled, even though its body thought otherwise. The mouths on the hills began to twist and flounder, starting to regurgitate vast amounts of partly digested metal and artifact creatures all over the hills. Even the dragon head twitched and opened its mouth as countless hunks of metal fell out in a waterfall, the metal on its neck falling away and melting across the hills. The giant circular mouth lurched upward, the teeth starting to gnash as the mouth fell apart, no longer desired by its owner.

The artifact creatures on the Simic Sky Swallower's back all hesitated, feeling their owner's pain; in fact, it was accurate to say that they were a part of Kappa's flesh, operating independently. Either way, they stopped fighting and began to howl and writhe in agony, feeling their master's sickness. They began to melt as the hills also softened, melting together and creating massing chaos.

"Whoa! Are you puking Kappa to death?" Devin cried in disbelief, watching the spectacle.

"Hey. Whatever it takes, right?" Kelly asked him.

"Yeah... I know how to appreciate creativity," Devin grinned. There was no more need to worry: overcome by its reverse-hunger, Kappa was forced to relinquish its entire Plane-body, falling apart and melting everywhere at once. The dragon head was crumbling, and barely had the energy to reach for the hovering Simic Sky Swallower before slumping onto the Sky Swallower's back, reduced to just resting there and staring at the kids.

"I... eat. I... eat... all," Kappa moaned, the dragon head's mouth struggling to imitate the words with its mouth before the head and neck collapsed into millions of pieces, the eyes' glow fading. Not wasting a second, Tezzeret jumped high into the air and snatched the plate on the dragon head that contained Kappa's forehead emerald and returned to the Sky Swallower's back, holding it on his open hand.

"We have claimed our prize," the Etherium Planeswalker declared, closing his fist on the emerald. "See how our foe falls apart?"

"It's more like a cataclysm," Kelly commented, seeing the landscape around her twisting and contorting upon Kappa's death throes, the result of her and Viktor's handiwork. At last, the landscape became still, the hills askew and countless pieces of debris sticking out of the ground like a junkyard, many of them melded onto the landscape. Other parts still glowed molten hot, since they had come from underground in Kappa's stomach-like regions. All of the artifact creatures that had made up part of Kappa's body lay dead, some of them half-fused onto the metallic rubble, forever stuck.

Devin exhaled. "Dude! We got him. Kappa is down!"

"_It, _not he," Kelly reminded him. "Kappa was genderless and even less of a living thing than the other Hunters like Beta and Delta." Then she grinned despite her weariness. "But you're right. I'm glad this is over."

"Though our final confrontation with the Defiled One awaits," Tezzeret reminded them heavily. "She is most likely near the partial Maelstrom at the Shards of Alara, feeding off its power. Nicol Bolas is probably there, too, unwilling to leave the investment he made in the Defiled One's plans. His original ambitions depend on her getting her way. Alpha, the most powerful Hunter, will be there too. It will be a difficult confrontation."

Gerbie fought his way out of Ashley's pocket and pounced through the air to land on Tezzeret's face, hanging on with his claws. "Why are you such a downer, metal boy?" the gerbil complained. "Cheer up! We beat the living... the artifact daylights out of Kappa!"

"Get off me, creature," Tezzeret snapped, pulling Gerbie off his face and holding him at eye level. The Simic pet squirmed.

"Oi! Set me down so I can show you what I'm really made of," Gerbie challenged him before Tezzeret materialized an Etherium cage to trap Gerbie in, the construction being curving and graceful in design but sturdy too.

"Gerbie!" Ashley cried in concern, rushing forth to take back her pet as he struggled in the cage.

"Poor me. I'm trapped!" Gerbie said as as joke, Ashley fumbling with the cage to get him out.

"Weak, dude," Ike commented from Viktor's pocket, yawning widely.

"Silence," Viktor ordered his pet, and Devin's Deconstruct freed Gerbie.

"So! Are we gonna meet up at Bant and report our victory and party till dawn?" the Simic pet asked excitedly, once Ashley held him close to her chest to protect him from Tezzeret.

"Only the former," Tezzeret nodded. "Let us go. The Defiled One's Enslavement is growing by the second, and her personal strength is growing. Time is not on our side."

The group departed the twisted Plane of Mirrodin with Viktor and the others' teleport power from their Key Creature cards, with Kappa's emerald held tight in Tezzeret's fist.


	27. Chapter 27

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 27

**Author's Note: **This chapter was written shortly before the Magic 2011 core set came out.

*o*o*o*o*

Nicol Bolas blinked his eyes open, aware of his eyes itched and ached even after his long nap, how his muscles felt cramped and sore, how his tail felt too heavy to even lift. The black-white energy of Grixis and Bant colliding with each other did little to help the massive headache the Elder Dragon suffered.

Bolas yawned widely, stretching out his claws and arching his long neck to raise his head to observe the scene around him. He turned and saw the actual collision of Grixis and Bant, the two Planes that Elena couldn't affect with her bizarre magic; the mini-Maelstrom resulting from their collision was far cry from the full-colored Maelstrom that Bolas wanted, a sad thought indeed. He saw Naya, Jund, and Esper floating still and unmoving, like a crowd watching Bant and Grixis go at it.

As long as Elena's enemies still defied her, she would hold back the Maelstrom and keep Bolas from becoming a real problem for her. By her word, she would restore the Maelstrom once she achieved victory. He hated it, but Bolas had no choice but to abide by her will and wait. He would not dare strike Elena down; only she could restore the Maelstrom, and killing her would not undo her spell, quite the opposite. If she died, then the only person who could restore the Maelstrom would be gone, and Bolas would be condemned to die a weak old dragon.

Bolas couldn't resist a snort, having received mental updates from his many servants scattered among the Multiverse. He didn't even look at Elena. "Having trouble, are we?"

"Nonsense, dear Bolas," Elena assured him, but the Elder Dragon could hear the anger and desperation in her retort. He knew that she was struggling by now, with most of her Hunter underlings dead. Only Alpha and Epsilon remained, and Epsilon had turned traitor and joined Elena's enemies! Her Enslaved armies abounded, but they were unwieldy to move about, and could not capture Key Creatures. Besides…

"I believe you have lost your grip on those Key Creatures?" Bolas taunted Elena, enjoying watching his tormentor squirm. _That defiled bitch._

"Yes, they have eluded my dear Hunters," Elena snarled, fury crossing her otherwise attractive human features. She bit her dark lower lip, frowning as her eyes glared at nothing in particular. "All five are back in the children's hand, and I have no doubt that they will come for me next. And Alpha, too."

"They will not slay me, my Lady," Alpha told her coldly, turning to face her. "I will not let you down like Beta and Gamma and the others have."

_Ahhh, that one, _Nicol Bolas commented to himself, hearing Alpha speak. _The most powerful of Elena's minions indeed! I sense horrific power coming from him. He could move mountains on a __whim._

"I have faith in you, Alpha," Elena told her minion sweetly, holding his face with one of her hands. She lowered the hand and backed up. "Yet I feel ready for another attempt."

"More Hunters?"

Elena smiled. "You are sharp, Alpha! Yes, I have collected enough energy to defy the children one more time. They have proven themselves with brute strength, so I will employ a new strategy. That, and my new Eldrazi pets, will defy them long enough to allow me to gain even more power and influence! Stand back, Alpha."

The blue-black Hunter backed away as Elena extended her right arm, the limb swelling and bulging into a huge, confusing mass of flesh. The bulge swelled even further as Elena strained with the exertion, baring her teeth and the cords bulging in her neck. The effort paid off, however, as the mass split into two and fell to the ground in a loud noise of tearing flesh. The masses writhed and squirmed, slowly growing taller than they were wide and growing limbs and taking shape. One of them morphed into a lovely young woman with light green skin and thin but strong fairy wings on her back, and her shoulder-length hair was the color of a sapphire. A green, thumb-sized emerald rested in her forehead, proof of her allegiance to her creator. The fairy Hunter wore a rag from halfway down her thighs up to and over her breasts, her only adornment. her bare feet hovered a foot above the ground as the fairy Hunter's wings began to buzz, keeping her aloft.

The other mass became a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, wearing a red and blue gentleman's coat and poofy, jester-like trousers. Large copper boots were on his feet. His face was a bizarre one, with a pointed nose and an overly wide grin exposing dazzling white teeth, and long red eyebrows that extended off his head like moth antennae. His hair was sky-blue and flowed backwards, giving him a streamlined appearance. A bulky barrel-shaped attachment encased his left forearm, over a foot in diameter and made of hardened copper. Brass tubes and gears were on its surface, working to keep the thing powered. Countless weapons and tools lay hidden inside, like a giant Swiss army knife. Like all other Hunters, he had a green emerald set in his forehead.

Elena approached her two newest children, tracing her finger along the man's chin. "Welcome, Rho, Sigma," she said sweetly to them, meeting their eyes. "You will fight well for me, won't you?"

"Of course, my Lady," the fairy Hunter, Rho, bowed her head.

"I gotcha, I gotcha!" the steampunk Hunter, Sigma, saluted with a wide, goblin-like smile. "A-ha ha ha! I can't wait for this!"

"Then go, my children," Elena smiled at Sigma's enthusiasm. "I imagine that the children and Epsilon are going to group together to strike me down, and the Planeswalkers too. Find a way to separate them to gain the advantage. I want no mistakes."

"I've already got a few plans in mind, my Lady," Sigma said gleefully, rubbing his hands together as Rho watched silently. "I'll try out the most evil one first."

With that, he vanished in a flash of blinding cerulean and scarlet, Rho similarly vanishing with a flash of blue and green.

*o*o*o*o*

"Aaaaaaargh. Why couldn't I go to the Earth Plane, too?" Gerbie complained loudly as Viktor, Devin, Makoto, and Ashley teleported to Dominaria to meet Epsilon and his Azorius army in preparation to confront Elena at last and liberate the Multiverse from her tyranny.

"Why would you want to go there with Kelly?" Ashley asked her pet. She and the others except Kelly had teleported to a hilly part of Dominaria, near a large town surrounded by a stone wall. Mountain ranges and forests extended into the distance in the early morning light.

"Because! Earth is so much fun," Gerbie said fondly, motioning with his little paws as the foursome approached the ruins of an ancient temple where Epsilon would meet them. He had sent an Azorius messenger to Bant to relay the message. "It's got everything! Movies, 'air conditioners', those metal 'car' things, all that good stuff! I was halfway through a really good TV show on that 'computer' thing when Ashley dragged me off last time."

"What were you watching?" Viktor asked out of curiosity. He expected Kelly to rejoin them soon from Earth, having gone there to buy a few new powerful cards from the local hobby store before confronting Elena for the last time.

"It was 'streamed' on a site on the Web, and was about these cowboy bounty hunters in space," Gerbie recalled with a little gerbil grin. "They were hunting after people worth lots of money all over the solar system! Makes me think of the Hunters chasing our Key Creatures, but they're no match for us."

"I think I know what show that is," Devin realized, clapping a hand to his forehead.

"A hundred gold coins to whoever says it first," Gerbie challenged everyone.

"Hold on. Gold coins?" Devin repeated with a frown.

"Yeah! Or else a pass to get into Orzhov churches for free for a month," Gerbie added, raising the stakes. "Darn Ghost Council charges admission for getting into church! Forget collection plates."

"But I don't want to pray at an Orzhov church," Devin complained. "Why would I?"

"Well, they say it's good luck and the Orzhov gods look favorably upon those who bow in utter submission," Gerbie suggested. "And good fortune happens to find you afterwards! In business, as long as you work in the Orzhov's benefit…"

"So basically, you kiss their butt in order to get permission to help them more and somehow feel good about yourself in the process?" Devin said with disbelief.

Gerbie faltered. "Eh, wait a minute… now that you put it that way… aaaaaargh! I'll kill that guy who convinced me to get a life-long membership! Rip-off!"

"You're making that up, aren't you?" Viktor asked with a grin.

"Yeah, I admit it," Gerbie said slyly. "That's a lesson to you, kids: don't kiss butt unless it benefits you too!"

"That ain't any real advice, man," Ike argued from Viktor's pocket. "Real lesson: take everything with a pinch of sugar."

"Salt! Salt!" Gerbie corrected him, eager to one-up the other Simic pet gerbil.

"Whatever. Gonna nap now…"

"But that could have been a fun argument! Get back out of that pocket!" Gerbie ordered.

"You get back in your own pocket," Ashley commanded, and Gerbie slunk in her jacket pocket, mumbling to himself. Then, they reached the temple where Epsilon had promised to meet them, but Kelly hadn't arrived yet.

"Do you think something happened to her?" Ashley asked, concerned about her sister.

"I can't see that happening," Devin frowned. "That card shop's in a nice part of town. I bet she's just wondering what to get or something. Or it's just our nerves; big boss battle coming up and all…"

"That's not funny," Ashley argued, until Epsilon emerged from the temple to greet them. His ivory sword was sheathed at his left side, his broken forehead emerald dull with the lack of Elena's will in it.

"There you all are. It's good to see that you arrived without any trouble," Epsilon greeted Viktor's party. He wore the same gold and green armor he always did, shiny and flawless despite the damage he had sustained fighting Elena's hordes at Kamigawa. Apparently, Hunter armor could regenerate like flesh; in fact, Viktor suspected that the armor was part of their bodies and could not be easily removed.

"Did you expect any particular trouble? We haven't been here long," Makoto asked.

Epsilon gave the landscape a quick check; all was serene and still except for a flock of exotic birds that had taken flight from the depths of a nearby forest. "Elena's armies grow more restless as time goes, you see. Their master is frustrated and anxious, something that her troops reflect. You children are instrumental in her downfall, even more than the Planeswalkers. Even Dominaria here is partly Enslaved; it was here where I turned on Alpha and his Enslavement process."

"But there aren't any enslaved around _here, _are there?" Viktor asked, suddenly feeling very exposed. Epsilon would know better than almost anyone where the biggest populations of Enslaved creatures were.

"All of Oneah is Enslaved," Epsilon stated. "I watched as Alpha used terror and heresy to turn the people against each other, allowing Enslavement to take root at a high speed and spread to other lands."

"Where are your troops?" Devin asked. "All those Azorius guys…"

"The Planeswalkers would rather that I bring my troops after they show up to meet me," Epsilon said frankly. "Their trust in me is minimal and some may suspect a trap if I had my troops here first. Within minutes, I expect, a majority of the Planeswalkers will arrive here, and at their word I will teleport in my Azorius legions. And speaking of reinforcements, where is the last child? I count only four among you."

Viktor was a little tired of always being called a child, but that was a minor issue. As though summoned by command, Kelly warped into being, holding three of the Key Creature cards to let her get to Dominaria. She gave the cards back to their original owners, then held up a plastic shopping bag.

"What's in there?" Epsilon asked, stepping forward. "And what's that bag made of? I don't recognize the material, or the guild name imprinted on it."

"Oh – it's a shopping bag. From where I come from," Kelly explained, and Viktor could see the blue and red name of the card shop he and his friends used to frequent on Earth. With a rustle, Kelly took some items out of the bag, handing them out.

"Hey. I thought this guy wasn't out yet!" Devin exclaimed, his eyes bugging out at the card he held in his only hand. Viktor looked over his shoulder to see that it was Inferno Titan, a mythic rare red creature from the Magic 2011 core set.

"The pre-release must have been a few days ago," Kelly shrugged with a grin. "I saw a few M11 cards being sold separately at the shop, so I got this one for you. I guess someone got it in their sealed draft and didn't want it. I got it for only $5! Great deal."

"Someone _sold _this? _Sold it_?" Devin sputtered, and Viktor couldn't blame his reaction. Inferno Titan was a 6/6 Giant that could get +1/+0 for one red mana, and whenever it entered the battlefield or attacked, it dealt 3 damage divided as the controller chose to up to three target creatures and/or players.

"So. Got new paper toys?" Gerbie commented from Ashley's pocket.

"They're not toys. Without these cards, we would have been destroyed long ago," Ashley sternly told her gerbil.

"Oi oi! I was just joking! It's neat how you kick ass with little cardboard sheets," Gerbie protested. "Not just anyone could do that. I bet Epsilon over there couldn't hack it."

"I'll leave the card use to you, children," Epsilon muttered, looking away.

Viktor received a few cards from Kelly and looked them over. He now held Faerie Swarm, a */* flier whose power and toughness equaled the number of blue permanents he controlled. Viktor was about to ask why he got this particular card when he saw Painter's Servant right under the Faerie Swarm. With Scatter the Seeds and Doubling Season, Viktor could make a large number of 1/1 blue faeries after turning the Saprolings blue with the Painter's Servant. He and Kelly indeed thought along the same lines!

Viktor also received Hibernation, a blue Instant that returned all green permanents to their owners' hands. After tweaking that Servant's color-changing power, Viktor could remove large numbers of enemy creatures at once! The last card was Khalni Hydra, a Rise of the Eldrazi mythic rare that was an 8/8 green trampler that was cheaper to cast for every green permanent Viktor had. Another good use for those Saprolings!

"Ooooooh, I remember seeing this guy before," Ashley commented with a sigh, and she showed Viktor her Godhead of Awe, a 4/4 blue/white flier that turned all other creatures into 1/1's. "I never wanted to use it in my deck, but against Enslaved armies…"

"It's a masterstroke if we keep our own creatures safe from that effect," Viktor finished for her, certain that Ashley would tweak the Godhead's power to only shrink enemy creatures to 1/1 status. Ashley also received Baneslayer Angel, a 5/5 flying Angel with first strike, lifelink, and protection from dragon and demon creatures. On top of that, Ashley received a Worldpurge, a Shadowmoor white/blue hybrid rare that returned all permanents to their owners' hands, then they players returned all but seven of those cards to their libraries and shuffled them.

Kelly had bought herself an Xathrid Demon, a 7/7 flier and trampler that required a creature sacrifice during each upkeep. The Demon could make each opponent lose life equal to the power of the sacrificed creature, and if no sacrifice was offered then the Demon would become tapped and make Kelly lose 7 life. She had also bought herself an Incremental Blight, a Shadowmoor uncommon that put a -1/-1 counter on a creature, two -1/-1 counters on a second creature, and three such counters on a third creature. Viktor was confident that with alternate effects of cards being used, that Blight would become far more powerful than in the normal paper game.

Then, Makoto was given a Yosei, the Morning Star, even though the original was Enslaved at Kamigawa. Most likely, this one would not be affected by the original as long as it was cast on a Plane other than Kamigawa, Viktor surmised. Makoto also got a Coat of Arms, since his deck was based on the creature type "samurai."

Along with those cards, Kelly had bought a few Zendikar cards for heavy-hitting spell effects. Viktor knew that Zendikar was a plane of wild and super-powerful magic, and cards from that block were not to be used lightly. Even so, Kelly had secured one good Zendikar card for everyone: a Butcher of Malakir for herself, a 5/4 flying Vampire that forced each opponent to sacrifice a creature whenever the Butcher or another of Kelly's creatures died. Devin was given a copy of Lord of Shatterskull Pass, a level-up minotaur that could deal 6 damage to every creature his opponent controlled whenever the Lord attacked.

"Hey. I don't think we've used any level-up creatures before," Devin commented, looking over his Lord of Shatterskull pass. "Have we?"

"I don't think so," Ashley said. "How would that work in combat? Just pump mana into it until it gets to the full level?"

"That's what I'm assuming," Kelly nodded, then winked at Devin. "Show us some on-the-spot ingenuity, okay?"

Devin was heartened. "Yeah! I'll lead the way with my level-up guy," he promised, handling his Lord of Shatterskull Pass card affectionately. With a grin on his lips from the humorous scene, Viktor accepted his new Zendikar card from Kelly, then did a second-take when he saw an Ulamog's Crusher in his hands, an 8/8 Eldrazi with Annihilator 2 that had to attack each turn if able. It cost 8 colorless mana to cast.

"What the – what the heck, Kelly?" Viktor cried, showing her the card. "This guy?"

"Well, we need to borrow the power of the Eldrazi to stand a chance, after all," Kelly defended herself. "Besides, that guy is the cheapest Eldrazi to cast, so he wouldn't be as much of a strain to create as the others, and he's powerful for his low cost. I think it's pound-for-pound the best Eldrazi there is except Kozilek, Butcher of Truth himself."

"Well, yeah," Viktor had to agree, looking over the horrific creature depicted in the art box of the card. He remembered the power of the Eldrazi from the battle of Kamigawa, and would be grateful to have that kind of power on his side for once. "Thanks, Kelly. I wasn't complaining, I just..."

"Don't worry, I know," Kelly grinned. She passed out the last few cards to the others, handing an Archon of Redemption to Ashley, her sister. The Archon was a Worldwake 3/4 flier whose effect was "Whenever Archon of Redemption or another creature with flying enters the battlefield under your control, you may gain life equal to that creature's power." Without a doubt, that Archon would be useful not only as a capable flying warrior but a way to recover Ashley's strength and vitality whenever she cast any of her numerous flying creatures.

Makoto was given an Instant for his Zendikar powerhouse card, since there were no Samurai in that block. He got his hands on Comet Storm, which cost X and two red and had multikicker 1 colorless. That card would deal X damage to a target creature or player, then deal that same damage to a number more creatures or players equal to the number of times Comet Storm was kicked. Viktor got the feeling that Makoto would make explosive use of that Comet Storm, providing perfect cover fire for his deadly Samurai to charge into the fray of any battle.

"So, is that everything?" Kelly asked, checking her bag. "Uh-huh, that's all of them."

"Jeez. How much did all that cost?" Devin asked in amazement, aware of how many rares and mythic rares Kelly had brought along.

"I'd... rather not say. Let's just say that it helps to have a part-time job," Kelly admitted, not giving away the final total. "The important part is that we're well-quipped enough to take down Elena and Alpha for good, along with the Enslaved army."

"Indeed! I look forward to doing battle with you all," Epsilon agreed, stepping forth. "I take it that you all are ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Viktor assured the blue-white-green Hunter. "Now we just wait for the Planeswalkers to show up, and -"

As though summoned by the very mention, Jace Beleren appeared out of nowhere, looking a little hassled.

"Jace! What is it?" Viktor asked him, finding strange that the blue Planeswalker had arrived alone.

"Something is wrong. Chandra is missing, and it is unlike her to forget something this important," Jace informed him.

"Aw, man. She's still goofing around?" Gerbie complained. "Can't trust red powerhouses..."

"No matter what, you must find her," Jace told Viktor and the others sternly. "I would help, but I am needed elsewhere. Most likely, Chandra has run into trouble on Zendikar. The Enslavement process there was been accelerating, and the Eldrazi are on the loose there. I wish you the best of luck."

With that, Jace vanished, and Devin and Gerbie were quite indignant.

"He just shows up and dumps an errand on us before running off!" Devin cried.

"Good-for-nothing mystic boy. Let's kick his arse next time we see him!" Gerbie added.

"Quiet! We've got a job to do," Viktor interrupted, silencing his friend and the gerbil. "Come on. This shouldn't take too long, as long as Alpha is staying by Elena's side."

"I wish to follow," Epsilon added, stepping forth. "Let us depart."

"Yeah," Viktor agreed, and he and the others touched their Key Creature cards together to warp to Zendikar before something rather strange happened.

_Whoa. How come I feel so... lightheaded? _Viktor wondered lazily, his whole body swaying. He blinked a few times, then saw that vivid blue-green pollen spores were drifting down from the sky like snow, affecting his mind. Everyone else noticed them too, growing more drowsy by the second. Even Epsilon staggered back, slapping himself to stay awake.

"Wh-what's going on?" Ashley voiced her fear, the teleport half-way through completion. Then, she yelped and dove out of the way as a dark green fairy zoomed past her, intent on impaling her with the stinger on its abdomen. The fairy buzzed past, stopping and turning in midair, its insectoid wings flapping rapidly.

"Oh! It seems that you dodged it, dearest," a cooing voice said, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Viktor wheeled around and saw a much larger, human-sized fairy approaching through the snowstorm of blue-green pollen. The newcomer settled a few feet in the air above everyone else, observing the scene.

"Hey. She's another Hunter! There's no mistaking it!" Kelly exclaimed, pointing with all her effort against the sleep-inducing pollen. Viktor had to agree: the fairy had a gentle shade of blue-green on her skin, and dark blue hair. She wore a rag over her breasts that went down to halfway down her thighs, her only garment. The most telling sign was the thumb-sized emerald shining on her forehead, making it clear whom she served. The fairy also had large insectoid wings on her back, buzzing loudly to keep her aloft.

"I am Rho, a child of Lady Elena," the fairy Hunter said enticingly, tracing a finger across her lips and her eyes fixed on the kids below. "I am sorry, but it is my duty to kill you all. Chandra Nalaar is soon doomed, fated to meet her end against fellow Hunter Sigma on Zendikar. Will you join me in the world of dreams, or fight against me like brutes?"

_Wait. Another new Hunter? "Sigma"? _Viktor realized. "Guys. Makoto, Epsilon and I will get to Zendikar to save Chandra. The rest of you, fight this Rho girl. There's no time to waste."

Thankfully, the others were quick to agree to Viktor's plan, and he and Makoto and Epsilon hurried through the teleport zone to reach Zendikar to retrieve Chandra before Rho could stop them. Viktor was confident in his remaining friends' abilities, but there was always reason to worry. Elena didn't like to play nice.

*o*o*o*o*

**A/N: **The TV show Gerbie was referring to earlier is _Cowboy Bebop._


	28. Chapter 28

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 28

Zendikar was pretty much how Viktor had expected it to be, judging from the rather stunning illustrations he had seen for Zendikar-block lands. He, Makoto, and Epsilon were on a rocky slope just above a forest line, and nothing here was normal. The trees in the underlying forest were gigantic, with deep green leaves and twisting branches and exotic birds flitting among the leaves. The clouds overhead were towering cumulonimbus, booming with unspent lightning and threatening rain.

The most telling sign they were on Zendikar was that a line of pristine hedrons hovered in a line to the west, a row of huge constructs that acted like a barrier against the Eldrazi threat. The hedrons here were shaped like two tall, square-based pyramids attached at the bases, with several smaller protrusions poking out of their sides to act like barbs. These hedrons floated in a line over a hundred feet in the air, stretching from one end of the horizon and all the way down the other end, fading into the distance like a vast fence.

"Don't those hedrons act like a prison or something for the Eldrazi?" Makoto asked as Viktor led the way up the rocky slope, making sure to avoid loose rocks and hellion nests along the way.

"Yeah. They all moved into place to trap the aether titans once they awoke," Viktor recalled. "But they don't entirely work because the Eldrazi are still rampaging around unchecked, and some of them are Enslaved. We've got to be ready."

"Always ready," Epsilon agreed tensely, gripping the handle of his ivory sword.

Once he found an even patch of ground, Viktor summoned his Fighting Drake, allowing it to settle onto the ground with its curving talons and yawn widely, stretching its blue scaly neck. Viktor and the others climbed on board, the Drake hissing and rumbling from sensing a Hunter on its back.

"It's okay, girl. Just take flight, he won't hurt you," Viktor reassured the beast, stroking the blue scales on its neck. The Fighting Drake cocked its head and then took flight, forcing Viktor to hang on to not get thrown off. A steady wind buffeted him as the Drake flapped its wings to get up the slope and reach an expedition camp up ahead.

"How do you know this thing's a girl?" Makoto shouted over the wind.

"I don't actually know!" Viktor yelled back, grinning. "I just like the sound of it better."

Within a minute, the Drake had reached the expedition camp, settling on the ground and folding up its wings. A number of large beasts had been lured here by the Drake, but one screeched warning from the Drake sent the animals scampering, leaving Viktor, Makoto, and Epsilon free to disembark and meet the explorers here to find Chandra.

The camp was made up of a number of large, tough-fabric tents along with some two-story wooden structures for group discussions, even a tavern with a pair of oversized hellion barbs over the doorway instead of deer antlers. The hard, chitinous barbs curved menacingly, but were rendered harmless since they were severed from their owner who knows how long ago. The tavern seemed to be the most promising place to find information, so Viktor "parked" his Fighting Drake outside the building, encouraging the beast to settle down and rest, but keep vigil if any Enslaved creatures showed up. Then, Viktor pushed open the tavern door and led Makoto and Epsilon inside.

An arrow was the first thing to greet Viktor, the metal tip hissing through the air and nearly hitting him on the head. He yelped and ducked, not even having time to cast a defensive spell such as Oakenform or Vine Trellis. Instead, the projectile thudded into the closing door behind him, the wooden shaft quivering from the leftover energy. Epsilon gave the arrow a distasteful look, not appreciating the surprise attack launched on his newly formed ally.

"What was that for?" Viktor cried while covering his head with his hands, seeing that the various elf, human, and Kor mercenaries and explorers in the room had all risen to their feet, weapons drawn. Various sell-swords and trekkers all glared at the tree newcomers, caution and alertness sharp in their eyes. The launcher of the arrow was a long-haired elf man in thick leather and iron armor, standing near the fireplace with his elaborate bow drawn. A magically enhanced explorer wolf rested near his feet, the beast's eyes intent.

"Who are you three? Tell us now!" a particularly tall Kor swordsman demanded, stomping forward and pointing a long, pale finger at Viktor. He had various red and blue hunter's markings on his tall, thin face, along with a leather headdress with beads and feathers and fancy trek boots on his feet. And, of course, two long, sheathed swords on his belt. Viktor was sure that the Kor could draw those twin blades and behead him in a heartbeat.

"We are allies of the Planeswalkers, committed to the cause of bringing about Elena the Defiled One's downfall," Viktor announced at an attempt at bravery, seeing that no one's forehead here bore the green diamond mark of Enslavement. The various explorers and warriors in here all looked relieved, lowering their weapons and sighing with relief. The Kor muttered his thanks to the Kor gods, then looked apologetic.

"Please accept our apologies, friends," the Kor swordsman said sincerely, taking a few steps forward, the beads on his headband jingling together. "Too many blights have stricken us recently, and we are at the end of our ropes. Some foul magic has seeped across the lands, warping the minds of all it touches, be it beast or man. Those who fall for it act... unlike themselves. They seem to obey a larger, unseen power and have strange diamond marks on their foreheads, like a tattoo that cannot be removed. Jace Beleren has told us in passing that it's the work of a woman named Elena the Defiled One, who comes from lands beyond Zendikar and threatens them all."

The Kor swordsman ran a finger across his own blank forehead, and Viktor's suspicions were conformed. _The Enslavement process has spread to Zendikar, too, and it's making everything chaos. Then, there's _those _guys who are running around. Let me ask. _"Sir, is there any other problem you're experiencing? Anything else to drive you brave explorers into shelter like this?" Viktor noted that the windows were all closed and reinforced, as though expecting monsters to storm the place. Various booby traps had been set under the windows, too, as well as the back door.

The Kor soldier's face twisted in anguish and anger. "Yes, young sir. The gods have awakened, but they were not what we thought they would be! Great gray titans have arisen from the earth in droves, annihilating all in their path. First those despicable drones appeared, mindless _things _that shepherd ever smaller critter-drones. Then, with their collective power, they summoned and unleashed the biggest monsters of them all. Some have taken to calling them 'Eldrazi', but no matter what you call them, they are here to ruin everything, and our best defenses are little before them."

"I knew it," Viktor muttered, turning to Makoto and Epsilon as the other warriors in the room muttered their own curses against the Eldrazi and the loss of their loved ones. "Guys, we've got Enslaved creatures, Eldrazi, and one missing Chandra. Any ideas?"

"Perhaps we could offer the bravest explorers here a chance to help the best hope they have against the Eldrazi?" Epsilon suggested. "They are not true warriors if they huddle in this tavern."

"Though we may have to prove our strength to them to convince them to help us," Makoto added, and Viktor and Epsilon agreed. Viktor turned to the others.

"We alone are the hope for Zendikar and the entire Multiverse against the Enslavement and the Eldrazi. Aid us, and hope will return. Elena's hordes and Eldrazi are a serious threat, but the Planeswalkers and I are united against her, and we will stand a chance of victory if only you are to help us."

"Ha!" a dwarf sell-sword laughed. "Skinny children like yourselves? And the blond man behind you – is he a wandering king? Fancy robes won't win you any close fights, good sir!"

"He underestimates me, and you both as well," Epsilon commented, stepping forth. "This is not a time to squabble! Perhaps a demonstration of force is needed? Without any killing, of course. Our numbers are too few as it is."

"So! A challenge?" the Kor swordsman smirked, stepping forth and placing his hands on his dual sword handles. "You three are friendly, but _helpful _remains to be seen. Prove your worth, and we will help you!"

As he finished speaking, the Kor swordsman unsheathed his twin blades and leaped into action, moving forward and spinning blindingly fast as his swords whipped through the air. Epsilon was quick to defend himself, his own ivory sword flashing into action and catching the Kor's blades in mid-strike. Not done yet, the Kor swung his blades free and attacked from two different angles at once, a move that would cripple most opponents with the Kor's speed and grace behind those blades.

Epsilon, however, was no ordinary opponent. Epsilon's sword blocked the Kor's left sword, and Epsilon stood on one foot to block the other blade with his raised foot. Without wasting a second, Epsilon pushed a massive effort into his ivory blade, wrenching the Kor's left sword out of his hand and sent it clattering across the floor. The Kor retreated his other sword and swung it as rapidly as he could, Epsilon's own ivory sword moving with equal speed as the two warriors moved in a deadly dance, their feet working across the floor. Then, the Kor made a too-long thrust, leaving his flank vulnerable. Epsilon kicked the Kor's haunch, sending him sprawling backwards. Before he could do anything else, Epsilon yelled "Freezing Attack Level 1!" and the blue-white spell trapped the Kor. Then, Epsilon pounced forward and rested his sword's tip against the Kor's throat, as a sign of victory.

The Kor breathed heavily, his sweaty neck twitching has he swallowed nervously, his eyes roving down to the blade that could take his life in one move. "I concede," he wheezed. "Well done, my friend."

"Nothing to it," Epsilon nodded, undoing the Freezing Attack and helping the Kor swordsman back onto his feet. "But what of the children? They have no weapons."

"We're mages, of a sort," Viktor grinned, holding up his Assault Zeppelid card and summoning the creature. The Simic flyer ballooned into existence, the green-blue creature taking up half the tavern and startling all the explorers. The animal hissed and rumbled its hunger, the 3/3 flyer trampler eager to battle. Then, Makoto's Silverstorm Samurai proved his own worth, the armored fox samurai watching the explorers with narrowed, intent eyes as they gripped the handles of their katanas.

"I know not what magic this is, but I am impressed," the Kor swordsman nodded his approval, a wide grin spreading across his face. He spread his arms wide. "Travelers! We have good friends in these three. Who will help them conquer the Eldrazi and Elena's minions?"

"Chandra tried to stop them, but she went missing," someone shouted. "Can these guys succeed where she failed? She's a Planeswalker, one of the best. Even Sorin and Nissa are wary around her."

"Damn you! We are trying to get some good done here, you runt!" the Kor swordsman bit back. "Who will help?"

"I'll do it," someone offered, standing up. He wore typical plate armor and travel gear, but half of his head was wrapped in bandages and rags, going down to his eyes. "I know the way."

"Juram? You're still hurt! Those drones don't play nice," an elf warrior cautioned him, and Viktor assumed that the bandaged man, Juram, had tangled with Eldrazi drones a while back. Well, they certainly weren't helpless; Emrakul's Hatcher and Kozilek's Predator were both solid 3/3's.

"No. I must," Juram insisted, stepping forth. Viktor noticed that he had a rather pointed and beak-like nose and a hard, pointed chin and wide mouth, making him look a little like a goblin even though he was clearly human. "Please. These three need our help, and I can give it better than any of you."

"Always the sharp-tongue," the Kor swordsman muttered, but he relented with a wave of his hand. "Very well, Juram. Lead them on. May the gods watch over you, even if they have abandoned the rest of us."

"Got it. Let's go, guys," Juram said briskly, shouldering past Viktor and the others to exit the tavern. "I'm well-familiar with these rocky wastes, so stay close. Be ready to summon more of those creatures of yours if need be."

"Indeed," Viktor agreed, returning his Assault Zeppelid to its card as Makoto did the same with his Silverstorm Samurai. Viktor gathered up Makoto and Epsilon to follow Juram, eager to finish this business on Zendikar before any really nasty Eldrazi decided to show up.

*o*o*o*o*

"Gah! I can barely keep my eyes open!" Devin cried, scrubbing his eyes as Rho's fairy pollen continued to fall from the sky. "So... so tired."

"Use some of that red-green vitality, Devin!" Ashley encouraged her friend, but she and Kelly were in as much trouble as he was. Rho drifted down to them on her insectoid fairy wings, a smile across her face as she flitted over to Devin and cupped his head in her hand, leaning close to peer into his eyes.

"Hello, young man," she breathed, half-closing her eyes and caressing the side of Devin's face. "How would you like to go to the land of dreams with me? Would you do that for me?"

"Aaaaaugh... uh-huh? What's th-thuh land of d-dreamsh? I dunno..." Devin mumbled stupidly, his tongue going numb. He panted to keep himself awake with extra oxygen, but Rho's spell was too strong.

"Don't worry, dearest. Just relax, and I can take you right there," Rho told him sweetly, drawing back her let arm and focusing blue and green mana there, swirling and smoke-like. "And here we..."

"Get away from him, you bitch!" Kelly shouted angrily, snapping out of her stupor in sheer anger and charging at Rho. However, the smaller fairy that had been seen earlier was back, a smaller version of Rho. The little fairy gripped Kelly's hair, painfully halting her in place.

"You've got such nice hair, lady," the little Rho crooned. "Would you like to give it to Master Rho as a gift? Would you?"

"I'll give it to you when I'm dead!" Kelly roared, her Final-Sting Faerie bursting to life from her card and impaling the tiny Rho with its lancer sword. The black 2/2 faerie buzzed in place, eager to defend its master Kelly.

"Devin! Are you -" Kelly started, but she was too late; the little Rho had distracted her long enough for Rho's spell to take full effect, and now she was wrapping Devin in a pulsing, semi-transparent green cocoon, with dark blue veins throbbing along its sides. Devin was helpless as he was enveloped, his arm and legs flailing uselessly until he was overcome, his body going limp and his mind being wrenched from his body by the cocoon's effect.

"What... what did you do?" Ashley cried, terrified. "You didn't...?"

"I didn't kill him, dearest," Rho assured her, flitting back into the air, her arms lowered at an angle for balance. "I merely took him to my Land of Dreams. There, he will die. You may fight me until then! None of us want to sit around bored while the young man fights for his life."

"Fights for his life? What do you...?" Kelly breathed, going pale as she watched Devin's limp body slump to the bottom of Rho's cocoon, now starting to twitch and jerk.

Rho threw her head back and laughed; Kelly was reminded of some villainess from a cartoon, perhaps, but this was deadly real. "That boy will be fighting in his head!" Rho exclaimed, her bare feet hovering over the ground. "Illusory fairies are my most potent kind, and if he cannot defeat them all then his real body will register his mind's death and follow suit! No spell of yours can puncture that cocoon and reach him."

Kelly's throat tightened in fear, unsure whether Rho's cocoon was truly unbreakable or not and whether Devin could handle whatever effect it was having on him. _Either way, Ash and I've got to do something fast!_

"Oh ho ho! You're only watching me. Perhaps that is best. We can sit back and watch while your friend struggles for his life in my Land of Dreams -" Rho started, turning to watch Devin twitch in the cocoon. She was cut off when Kelly's Vicious Hunger scorched by, the sizzling dark purple mana scraping her left cheek. Rho wheeled back around, fury twisting her features as she flared out her wings to climb higher into the air.

"You dare do this to me?" Rho hissed, spreading her arms wide to attack.

"I dare. Care to do something about it?" Kelly challenged her, drawing a few select cards out of her card stack and preparing to use them, Ashley doing the same. They could already tell that fighting Rho would be a little different from fighting the other Hunters.

*o*o*o*o*

"This place... is a real pain to climb!" Viktor wheezed, feeling his lungs and legs ache as he trundled up the rocky terrain while following Juram's lead, aware that Makoto was just as tired as he was, although Epsilon's Hunter toughness kept him from getting fatigued. Juram was getting slightly ahead, easily scaling the treacherous rock climbs and slopes.

"Hurry, you three! We're not quite there yet, but Chandra did disappear around here. Hang on."

"I'll... try," Viktor wheezed, grabbing hold of a rock outcropping to hoist himself up, but the rock piece came loose in his hand and he lost his balance. Epsilon was quick to catch him, the Hunter's normal-looking body contrasting with his incredible and unshakable strength.

"Careful, Viktor," Epsilon warned him, not unkindly as he helped Viktor get over the rock cliff, then helped Makoto up too.

"Remind me why we aren't flying up on a creature?" Viktor called up to Juram, aware that he had unsummoned his Fighting Drake before leaving the expedition camp.

"Because such magic would draw too much attention to ourselves," Juram called back over his shoulder. "Eldrazi drones and native elementals have been fighting each other around here, but they'd both attack us if we made our presence known. Keep your card-based magic restrained until we find Chandra's whereabouts. Once we're close to her, we'll be found anyway."

_Sounds fair, _Viktor figured, but he was getting antsy, aware that Ashley, Devin, and Kelly had to deal with that blue-green fairy Hunter back on Dominaria, and knew that Elena was gathering strength with every passing second._ This Juram guy had better show us some results soon!_

"Ah ha. Here we go!" Juram panted with victory, placing his hands on his hips as he turned his head to nod at a moderate-sized cave set against the mountain wall. It was dark in there, very dark.

"Did she wander in there and get lost?" Makoto wheezed, doubling over. "If so, we'd better be careful. Lots of traps, I bet."

"Traps?" Juram grinned, turning to face him. "Why, we've already triggered one! Well, you guys did." He traced a finger along his mouth, his toothy grin widening. "My memory manipulation made those explorers think that I was Juram the Traveler, but not so! I am me!"

"Huh?" Viktor panted, unsure what the explorer was on to. He was getting a bad feeling, and it was confirmed when Juram reached up and tore off his head bandages, revealing a thumb-sized emerald on his forehead. "You –!"

"Now you know, kiddos!" Juram cackled, stepping back into a combat posture and raising his arms. "I am Sigma, one of Lady Elena's newest Hunters. Trap... successful! Raaaaaaah!"

"Get back!" Epsilon hissed, darting forth and tugging Viktor and Makoto back before Sigma released an earth-rumbling blast of mana, and the three had to fight to stay on their feet. Sigma tore off his traveler armor, revealing blue and red gentleman's clothing underneath as his blue-red mana aura flared up to full strength. Sigma had poofy blue and red streaked pants, his feet encased in bright copper boots with various gears and small pipes along their surfaces. On Sigma's upper body was a rich blue gentleman's coat, parted to reveal his fancy red shirt underneath. With his full head revealed, Viktor saw that Sigma's hair was electric blue and flowed backwards, standing up as though he had touched an electrical outlet. His eyebrows were bright red and very long, extending off his head in a shallow V like moth antennae.

"Needless to say, he's blue-red like the Izzet," Viktor commented to Makoto and Epsilon. "I'm betting on a lot of trickery spells from him."

"Not to mention that thing!" Makoto added with fear, pointing. Viktor suddenly remembered that every Hunter he had seen bore a unique weapon to fight with. Gamma had wielded a pike, Epsilon here had his ivory sword, Delta had used brass knuckles, Beta had had a scythe attachment on his armor, and he could only guess what Alpha liked to use. Kappa's whole body had been his weapon, and Theta and Omega had each wielded half a broadsword, and those halves had combined to an unblockable magical broadsword called Soul Drive.

Now Viktor could see what Sigma's signature weapon was. The blue-red Hunter raised his left arm, and mana swirled around his forearm and materialized into his weapon, a solid barrel-like copper tube that encased his whole forearm from the elbow to his wrist. The attachment was cylindrical and round, reminding Viktor of the arm attachment he had seen on the Izzet Guildmage on that creature's card. Sigma's arm attachment had several brass tubes flowing from the back to a series of five circular depressions along the side, looking like sockets. Several gears were set on the other side, ticking and whirring and turning each other in smooth repetition.

"So! How do I look? Ah hahaha!" Sigma cackled in glee, placing his fists on his hips and starting to dance in place, his feet kicking and shuffling about in an elaborate dance while Sigma panted his time signature, concentrating.

"Is this guy... serious?" Makoto muttered into Viktor's ear, watching the blue-red Hunter continue to tap dance in place, ignoring his enemies.

"Let's test and see," Viktor whispered back. "Epsilon, back us up. It's time to get rough."

The green-white-blue Hunter nodded his agreement, and the three set into motion. Viktor charged ahead first, his Llanowar Behemoth erupting into existence and charging, the wooden elf siege engine rushing at max speed. Makoto followed up, his Battle-Mad Ronin charging alongside the Llanowar Behemoth, then Epsilon himself rushed alongside these two creatures. Makoto's Unnatural Speed card accelerated the attackers, and his Yamabushi's Flame provided cover fire, washing Sigma in flames.

"Oh? I have visitors," Sigma noted, then thrust forth his right hand palm-out, a blue-red spell charging up. Then he shouted, "Little Clock Slug!"

At once, a gigantic clock face burst into existence, a 2-D ghostly image that stood upright like a wall, with Epsilon, the Llanowar Behemoth, and Battle-Mad Ronin going right through it. As soon as the clock appeared, a deafening clock ticking sound shuddered in Viktor's ears: _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK!_

"Argh! What's he doing?" Makoto shouted over the noise, clapping his hands over his ears. Covering his own ears, Viktor saw that the clock's hands were spinning backwards as the two clank-tocks sounded, and more importantly, the ghostly clock face was having an effect on the three attackers. As soon as they passed through the clock, the Llanowar Behemoth, Battle-Mad Ronin, and Epsilon all slowed down to almost a crawl, all their movements creeping at an agonizing pace.

"Ah hahaha! It worked! Look, guys, it worked!" Sigma shouted his joy before zooming forth in a streak of blue and red, raising his left arm. A sword blade shot out of the attachment just above the hand, and he swung it in a wide arc to decapitate the sluggish Battle-Mad Ronin, the Samurai unable to move in time even though Makoto pumped more of his red-white mana into it. Sigma leaped from the dead Ronin to the slow-moving Llanowar behemoth, sliding the sword back into his attachment and producing a huge drill. The drill was wide at the base as the arm attachment was, covering Sigma's whole hand as the drill spun at high speed and whined in the air. Sigma jumped forward and plowed the drill into the Llanowar Behemoth, blasting it apart like a miner striking gold.

"Epsilon! Watch out!" Viktor shouted, casting his ever-reliable Fighting Drake to help. The blue animal zoomed forth to help, but a second Little Clock Slug intercepted the Drake, this one just big enough to capture the Drake with a loud _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK!_

"Not good enough!" Sigma shouted his triumph, watching the Drake fly super slowly through the clock face, helpless. By now, however, Epsilon had recovered from the first Little Clock Slug, regaining his normal speed and swinging his ivory sword at Sigma as hard as he could, making the blue-red Hunter's eyes widen in shock.

"Whoa! That one almost hit me, traitor!" Sigma grinned as he raised his arm attachment, withdrawing the drill and bringing back the sword to block Epsilon's own ivory blade. The two Hunters' faces drew close as their blades struggled against each other's. "Why fight me, a fellow Hunter? Why are you with the children now, Epsilon? You've even got Gamma's powers in you now! Don't waste them with those mewling, card-toting babies!"

"You are probably not even a week old!" Epsilon snarled, pushing his blade extra hard against Sigma's sword attachment, forcing the blue-red Hunter back. Epsilon stood in place, flourishing his sword. "Begone, foul thing. We are here to find Chandra, and the Key Creatures are beyond your ability to capture! Flee."

Sigma adjusted his footing, prepared to spring away. "Ah hahaha! Me, run? I was born only to destroy you and give Elena at least a chance to prepare should I fail that task. Problem is... I ain't gonna fail. I'm gonna do this!"

Sigma placed his fists back on his hips, his feet once again working their skitter dance, but this time he whistled a tune to match, his daring eyes not leaving Epsilon.

"We are going to have to adjust our strategy here, Viktor, Makoto," Epsilon gritted as he returned to them, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder at the tap-dancing Hunter in the near background. "If we just charge, he'll use that Little Clock Slug attack again."

"And I bet he has a version that speeds up whatever goes through it, too," Viktor added. "Maybe to use on himself?"

"You got it, kid! My Little Clock Rocket!" Sigma called over, resuming his whistling.

"So, we're going to show some guts and beat this guy at his own game," Viktor added, determined. "Epsilon, you've got Gamma's freezing powers, plus your own swordsmanship and plant army. If we all coordinate well enough, this guy's tricky magic won't hold us off forever."

Makoto nodded. "Let's hope so."


	29. Chapter 29

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 29

_Okay, _Devin thought frantically. _I've heard of confronting your inner demons, but this just isn't funny!_

Devin fought back desperately against the crowd of semi-translucent, shining fairies that flitted about him, slicing his skin with blade-like stingers that protruded from their insectoid abdomens. Rather than having legs, these fairies were like giant wasps from the waist down, and the fairies had to be at least a foot tall, with curving blade-like stingers that were as long as Devin's index finger. Each fairy looked like Rho, with kind and girlish faces and long locks of hair, but each one of them squeaked and chattered like excited little animals as they tormented their much larger prey.

"Ugh! I've got to have a creature for this..." Devin muttered, aware that he was floating in some weird dimension of his mind, with roiling waves of purple and black making up his surroundings as he floated weightlessly in the center, with nothing but these fairies for company. There must have been a dozen of them, all determined to give him a slow death by laceration. Devin gritted his teeth and focused through the pain, feeling pulsating, hot agony from each of the wounds, his body feeling heavy and slow. _Poison on their stingers? Probably. I've got to hurry!_

"Ee-hee-hee-hee! You won't survive this, boy!" one of the fairies cackled in her tiny, high-pitched voice, flitting right up to Devin's face as he reached for his card pocket. "Die a slow death!"

"Not a chance, Tinkerbell!" Devin spat, right before the fairy flipped over in the air and thrust her scythe-like stinger at his face. At the last second, Devin swatted her aside, his hand whacking into her body and sending her tumbling though the air, cutting off her attack.

"Useless! Useless!" the other fairies chorused eerily, their rapid orbits around him tightening as they started another round of slicing, drawing fresh blood on his limbs and torso. Devin winced against the renewed pain and slipped his hands into his pocket, desperately feeling around for his stack of red-green cards. _Which one will help against this? Guttural Response? Like a cry of defiance from the wild! It helped me when Kappa stabbed me through with its tail back in Ravnica. _Devin quickly slipped his card pile out of his pocket, one-handedly fumbling through them to find the Guttural Response and trying not to drop any cards.

"Ee-hee-hee-hee! Don't even try it!' the fairies taunted him, swooping in on his cards with outstretched hands.

"Hey! I don't share, especially with Hunter fairy minions inside my head!" Devin bit back, moving his card hand out of the way. He rifled through the cards even faster with his only hand's fingers, flipping past his Deus of Calamity, then Giant Ambush Beetle, then Violent Outburst...

"Hey! No!" Devin yelped when a trio of fairies swooped in on his head, their stingers thrust forth to gouge his face apart. He squirmed in midair to dodge, allowing only one of the fairies' stingers to graze his ear. The fairies' ruse worked, however, and the others got a hold of his cards, tearing them out of his hands and flinging them everywhere like confetti, cackling all the while. Devin squirmed faster, trying to catch the drifting cards while avoiding more stings. It was no use, however, and the fairies renewed their attack.

_Damn it. I'm cut all over, and their poison is slowing me down, _Devin thought in a haze, his eyelids drooping and his limbs trembling, his breathing heavy. _No! Kelly and Ashley are waiting for me. I can't just die on them! Have to... have to do... something!_

"Mmmmmrrrrrgh! Give that to me!" Devin shouted in angry defiance, stretching out his arm to seize the Guttural Response card that drifted just out of reach. The fairies zipped by his arm, scoring fresh cuts on his forearm and hand, and he felt his fingers numb and stiffen. _Ugggghh. I guess I can't do this... after all. Sorry, Kelly, Ashley... kick Rho's ass for me, okay?_

The fairies swooped in for one final attack, like a fighter plane squadron closing in for the kill. Devin grimaced and prepared for the worst, until his mana aura flared to life, the red and green shields repelling the fairies like a buffeting wind.

_Whoa! I didn't think I could flare that up! I should have known, _Devin thought with a wry grin, as a little strength began to seep into his body, just enough to ward off the numbness and weakness. He moved his arm and legs for balance to re-adjust, thrusting his arm out as hard as he could to reach his cards, any card. The fairies all snarled their anger and swooped in again, only to have Devin's red-green mana aura surge in strength and drive them back again. However, Devin felt the aura's overall strength diminished from that last flare-up, and he knew he didn't have much time. He reached out one more time, and found success as his hand closed on the Inferno Titan card.

"Yaaaaaah! Titan attack!" Devin joked with newfound hope, holding the card up with the illustration facing the defiant fairy squadron, and their faces looked horrified as the spell took effect, the Inferno Titan erupting from the card's picture and into existence. The Inferno Titan was only twice Devin's size, due to its caster's current condition. Nonetheless, the humanoid Titan released an ear-splitting bellow of fiery rage and hunger from its mouth, creating a scalding wind that made all the fairies wince and cover their faces, crying out in their high-pitched voices. The Inferno Titan spread his arms wide, allowing great flames to erupt all around him, with more flames oozing out of his skin like a natural armor.

_Kickass, _Devin thought with a broad grin. He pointed. "Inferno Titan! Show them who's boss!"

The Titan, like all other card-cast creatures, could not speak but its even louder roar made its intentions clear. The Titan lurched forward as though walking on solid ground, bringing his arms to bear and summoning dozens of tentacles of fire around them. The fairies dispersed to avoid the attack, but were all singed as the tentacles of fire rushed forth and blazed through their ranks. The Titan reached them and swung his arms about, trying to swat them. The fairies avoided the blows and retaliated, their stingers grazing the Titan's skin and making it bleed, the beast crying out.

"Come on! Fight back, you big sissy!" Devin encouraged the Titan, giddy with his restored ability to fight back. "I'll help you, just charge!"

The Inferno Titan was enraged beyond control for a multitude of reasons, and one again it charged recklessly at the fairies, frightening in its speed and anger. The Titan swept its arms and summoned more of the fire tendrils, reflecting its ability to do 3 damage divided as the controller chose among any number of target creatures or players. Devin helped guide the fire tendrils and they struck at last, one fire tendril impaling a fairy and blasting it into a cloud of ashes, the glowing fairy screeching horribly before being vaporized.

"Branching Bolt!" Devin called out the name of his spell, seizing the floating card and adding its furious lightning to the mix. The eleven surviving fairies spread out wide and accelerated, trying to dodge the rest of the Inferno Titan's fire tendrils and the lightning Devin cast. Two of the fairies broke ranks and tried to scratch Devin again, only to be swatted aside by the Inferno Titan's massive hand and crushed into oblivion. An offshoot of the Branching Bolt fried another fairy, reducing their numbers to eight.

The fairies sped up even further, sacrificing direction for sheer speed to avoid further attacks from Devin and the Titan. They whooshed about at random, hoping to score deep cuts on their larger foes to bring them down. Their tactic started to pay off, as one fairy gouged Devin's chest, pain flaring up there.

_Oh no! If I get any more cuts, that's it, _Devin thought frantically, but looked down at his body to see that the previous cuts had started to mend. Indeed, except for the most recent gash, all the other cuts were healing and fading from sight, with only his clothes still torn. Even his blood was being restored, since Devin felt less light-headed. _This is like Guttural Response, but I'm not holding it. Where...?_

Devin saw that his red-green mana aura extended over his arm, stretching past it to enclose the Guttural Response card on its own. The card seemed to pulsate as its alternate effect took place, allowing the hearty defiance of nature to heal Devin's life-threatening wounds. _I can use cards without even touching them! My mana aura did this all on its own?_

The battle was not over yet, however, as the eight surviving fairies continued their attack. However, they apparently had no other powers, because their high-speed stinger cut attack was all they were doing. Feeling fully restored, Devin called his Inferno Titan attack again, knowing that reckless assaults were the way of red mana. But Devin was not all red, and his tough green side had to be used as well or the Titan would overextend itself. Devin got an idea.

"Hey! Titan! Don't worry if you can't hit them easily!" Devin shouted at his frustrated Inferno Titan, as it launched a third attack, driving back the fairies but struggling to hit them. "I've got this one. Hyah!"

Now a solid green spell came into effect: Entangling Vines. Although only an average card on its own, it was essential here. From the card sprouted a swarm of thick, leafy vines that extended everywhere like a spider's web, catching the fairies unawares and ensnaring them in mid-flight. The glowing fairies were helpless as they struggled against their bindings, until they started to saw at the vines with their blade-like stingers.

Devin would not give them the chance.

"Get them! Fast!" he ordered the Inferno Titan, and the Titan was more than eager to comply, since "fast" was one thing red mana did right. Without any further ado, the Titan went on the offensive for the fourth and final time, its summoned fire tendrils all nailing the immobilized fairies and scorching them to oblivion, even setting the vine web on fire. Gleefully, Devin dispelled the vine net and the Titan, his battle won. _Hey, um... how do I get out of here? I'm trapped in my own mind! This is just an illusion while my real body is in that cocoon Rho trapped me in. Totally a blue-green power! Tricky, tricky... of course. Help me out again, old friend._

Guttural Response was quickly becoming Devin's favorite card as he brought it up with his hand, casting it with a new alternate effect to escape Rho's insidious trap. Within seconds, success was his; the Land of Dreams faded, and Devin's eyes snapped open to reveal to him his real body in the semi-see-through cocoon, his body soaked with disgusting slime that oozed from the walls. With a burst of fire from his Fireball card, Devin blasted his way out with a shout of effort, the smoking scraps of the cocoon drifting through the air as Devin landed on the Dominaria ground, savoring the feel of hard dirt under his body.

"Devin! You're okay!" Ashley shouted in relief, and Rho herself had been facing the Ashley and Kelly, her back to Devin. Burst Lightning raged into effect, catching Rho by surprise. She scarcely had time to turn around and flit out of the way of the red-green lightning, but the bolts still grazed her body, burning her flesh.

"Brat! How dare you?" Rho growled, clenching her fists as she rose a few more feet into the air. She clutched at her burn wounds, panting.

"Heh. Don't underestimate me, fairy lady, or you'll pay for it!" Devin retorted.

Rho squinted at him, then smiled and removed her hand from her wound, to reveal that it was covered with a mass of bright green flesh with blue veins. "Too bad, my boy, but that wound was too shallow to harm me! I commend you for escaping my Land of Dreams, though! Looks like I have to will use the extent of my physical powers to bring you down after all."

The mass of flesh faded away to reveal Rho's perfectly mended flesh, with no hint of the former wound.

_Quick regeneration, huh? _Devin thought. _I definitely can't do this by myself. Ashley, Kelly, I'm way going to need your help here!_

*o*o*o*o*

The hedrons of Zendikar floated dutifully in their rows on the horizon, but their prison was ineffective against sealing the horrific Eldrazi race inside the plane. Viktor already knew that from reading the story about Zendikar from card products he had bought on Earth, but here the danger was fully real, and Sigma was not going to miss out.

"Ah hahaha! Like my new pets? I sure do!" Sigma shouted giddily as Viktor, Makoto, and Epsilon watched countless Eldrazi drones emerge from the mountain's nooks and crannies, twisted otherworldly abominations that all bore the green diamond mark of Enslavement on their foreheads. Viktor recognized some of them such as the insectoid Dread Drone, the creature carrying itself on several spindly legs and bearing tall, flat horns on its eyeless head. As far as Viktor knew, horn-like protrusions meant that an Eldrazi was part of Kozilek's brood, but he wasn't sure whether that information would help. He also saw a large number of Nest Invaders among the emerging crowd, the little creatures hissing with hunger.

"Damn it. There's a ton of them!" Makoto cursed, gripping his stack of red and white cards tightly in fear.

Epsilon brought his ivory sword to eye level in a defensive position, his eyes narrowing. "Don't lose your nerve. That's just what they want."

Sigma beckoned a Kozilek's Predator closer to him, stroking the obedient beast's head like a pet dog. "I've got wicked awesome plans for fighting you all! Give me a good show, okay?"

"No mercy. Foil Sigma's plan, no matter what it is!" Viktor ordered tensely as the Eldrazi drones charged from all around. Makoto's Battle-Mad Ronin and Nagao, Bound by Honor were quick to be summoned and engage their foes, the former's pike and the latter's katana piercing the flesh of the drones they encountered. Epsilon himself leaped into the fray, swinging his ivory sword in broad, sweeping strokes to hit multiple drones in single moves. He halved a Kozilek's Predator and two Nest Invaders, only to get surrounded by five Emrakul's Hatchers intent on clubbing him to death with their bizarre, two-pronged arms.

Viktor cast Convincing Mirage to evade a quick-moving Rapacious One, the eyeless monster snapping at a wavering illusory double of Viktor. That gave the real Viktor chance enough to cast his standard Fighting Drake and Elvish Warrior, enchanting the Drake with Oakenform and equipping the latter with Trusty Machete. The two warriors got to work against the Drones, downing several of the beasts while taking minimal hits in return. However, more and more drones scampered up the mountain's slope from further down, their numbers threatening to overwhelm the defenders.

"Hey! Viktor!" Makoto shouted, as his newly-cast Kentaro, the Smiling Cat protected him from a double attack from two Nest Invaders.

"What?" Viktor shouted back as Epsilon passed by, noisily trading blows with a vicious Dread Drone before cutting it in half. Fighting Drake was also grappling with a Rapacious One, making a huge ruckus.

"Don't all the drones make Eldrazi Spawn when they're summoned?" Makoto asked, sounding uneasy. "And I think Rapacious One makes the Spawns whenever it hits a player, especially with its Trample effect."

_He's right, _Viktor realized, his gut sinking. If something like this was amiss, it could only mean trouble.

"Look there! This was just a distraction!" Epsilon shouted, and the battlefield briefly came to a halt as the Hunter pointed at Sigma. Viktor and Makoto turned to see hundreds of little Eldrazi Spawn all clustered around him like a fanatic crowd.

"Ah hahaha! Here they are! Ready for this?" Sigma shouted over, and he raised his arms and split the Spawns into two mounds, the Spawns starting to glow white and meld together.

"Stop him!" Viktor cried, setting into motion to make good of his plan. His and Makoto's creatures fought through the crowd of drones to stop the Spawns' plan, but they were too slow.

"I'll handle this," Epsilon assured them, raising his arm and pointing. "Destroy them, my plants!"

Viktor recalled his battle against Epsilon and Delta in Kamigawa, and how Epsilon had summoned an army of battle-ready plants to fight on his behalf as backup troopers. Currently, Epsilon summoned a dozen of his biggest plant warriors, all of them being giant balls of vines and leaves over ten feet in diameter, floating in the air. Six of them had single green and yellow flower-petaled flowers on them, and the other six had four extra-long vines covered in giant thorns for ripping enemies apart. All twelve plants zoomed forward in the air, the flower-bearers releasing clouds of green spores at the melding Eldrazi Spawn piles.

"Oh! I've been told about this. Epsilon, you control your own army of plant warriors!" Sigma nodded his understanding. "And Delta could summon exploding wolves in his Ascendant State! I'm not jealous, though – I have my own friends, and have this! Little Clock Slug!"

The clouds of green spores reached the Spawns, the pollen eroding them and making them squeal and writhe in agony. However, the actual plant warriors were too slow, and a huge ghostly clock face faded into existence, big enough for the tightly-knit group of plant warriors to pass through at once. The clock's hands spun backwards as the plant warriors were slowed down almost to a crawl, the clock shuddering Viktor's head with its loud _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK!_

"Too slow, huh?" Viktor cursed, but changed his tune as soon as he saw Epsilon appear right behind an unsuspecting Sigma, raising his ivory sword to decapitate his red-blue Hunter brother. Sigma's eyes widened and he whipped around to see the incoming blow, then leaped out of the way and allowed Epsilon's sword to slash through empty air, the blade just one instant too slow.

"That... was close, and you move fast, Epsilon," Sigma smiled widely from where he stood, but he looked uneasy. "The plants were only a diversion?"

"Actually, I meant for them to try and hurt you, but I made the most of the situation," Epsilon corrected him, turning to look at the plants crawling ultra-slowly through the Little Clock Slug. "Makoto! Viktor! Slow down the Spawns' process while I slay Sigma!"

With that, Epsilon attacked again, swinging his sword in a rapid blur to catch Sigma off-guard. Sigma raised his left arm and launched a sturdy net from the arm attachment he wore, the thin but tough netting catching Epsilon and making him fall over in a heap.

"Ah hahaha! How easy it is to trip you up!" Sigma cried out, tap-dancing in place with his fists on his hips. The joke was on him, however, as Epsilon tore out of the net with effort and thrust forth his right arm. "Freezing Attack Level 2!"

"No! No!" Sigma cried, the blue-white crackling attack swallowing him up before he could cast another Little Clock Slug or a Little Clock Rocket to speed him up and get him to safety. The Freezing Attack Level 2's power would be limited against Sigma, but it bought Epsilon the time he needed to slash Sigma across the chest and kick the immobilized Hunter away, allowing him to tumble across the rock.

"Ah... ah hahaha! Too late!" Sigma sputtered from the ground, looking up enough to see the mountains of Eldrazi Spawns fully meld and combine their mana to summon two new creatures. The drones had provided sufficient cover to delay Makoto and Viktor's creatures to allow the summon to be completed, and now Viktor saw what he was up against.

He recognized the two gaunt, faceless Eldrazi before him: the Spawnsire of Ulamog. The Spawnsires lay on their stomachs, holding up their heads and torsos with their four hands planted firmly on the ground, their four humanoid arms supporting the weight. The creatures' legs were replaced by a mass of thick tentacles, making the creatures all the more repulsive.

"Hey. What can those guys do? I haven't seen the card," Makoto asked Viktor urgently. Viktor outlined the Eldrazi to him, how the Spawnsires were 7/11 Annihilator 1's intended to hang back and use abilities rather than attack. These things could make two Spawns for 4 colorless mana, or allow their controller to cast any number of Eldrazi for free from outside the game for a cost of 20 colorless mana. Without a doubt, these things would be deadly assets for Sigma, since Viktor saw a green diamond tattoo on each of their foreheads.

"But you have Ulamog's Crusher, don't you?" Makoto urged his friend. "Maybe use him?"

Viktor examined the 8/8 Annihilator 2 Eldrazi in his card stack. "We'll see. I have to be careful with this thing."

"It'll drain a lot of mana to cast, won't it?" Makoto figured. "High mana cost anyway, and it's a Zendikar card, all of which are extra powerful but taxing to use. We might not have a choice, though, with the way things are ending up."

"Agreed," Viktor nodded grimly, looking up at the two towering Spawnsire of Ulamog creatures, both of which drooled and smacked their lips, a rumbling hiss coming from deep in their throats. Then he lowered his gaze to the colorful Sigma, who stood between his two Eldrazi servants like a hound master about to send the dogs.

"Watcha waiting for? Time to fight!" Sigma cried, waving his right arm. At his command, the two Spawnsires lurched heavily, then began to drag themselves forward and raise their arms to perform Annihilation, or maybe even some other move Viktor wasn't aware of. _No matter what tricks Sigma has dreamed up, we've got to be ready. I'm not about to lose to one of Elena's foul minions just yet!_


	30. Chapter 30

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 30

Alpha knelt by a pool of clear, shimmering water, the liquid seeming out of place on Grixis' twisted, deathly landscape. The blue-black Hunter maintained the enchanted pool by feeding wisps of his own power into the water, transforming it into a scrying mirror that revealed whatever he wished it to. Elena was standing a few hundred feet away, right at the very tip of Grixis; a jagged cliff that could almost be considered the bow of this shard of Alara. Elena was like the captain of a ship, watching her vessel starting to collide with the tip of Bant, the two Planes' convergence feeding a white-purple maelstrom that grew by the second. Only Bant and Grixis were outside Elena's power to hold back, and so they collided with each other while Naya, Jund, and Esper hung motionless to watch.

This incomplete Maelstrom was not even being witnessed by the one who desired a five-shard Maelstrom, Nicol Bolas. Currently, the Elder Dragon was curled up in deep slumber, almost cat-like with his wings folded up on his back and his long tail wrapped around his body and the tip resting near his snout. Alpha knew better than to consider the snoozing dragon a cuddly pet; although weakened by age and starved by the lack of a proper Maelstrom, the Elder Dragon was a force to contend with. Surely, at some point Bolas would awaken and feed off the two-Plane Maelstrom that had formed. Some was better than none.

"What do you see, Alpha?" Elena asked her top-ranked minion, walking over to the kneeling Alpha to look over his shoulder at his scrying pool. There, she saw two scenes unfolding, overlapping each other: one showed Rho facing off against three of the children in a sunny Dominaria field, and the other showed the other two kids and the traitor Epsilon struggling against Sigma and his Eldrazi servants. In both scenes, the children were clearly struggling.

"Your thoughts, My Lady?" Alpha asked.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm..." Elena considered. "My darlings Rho and Sigma are quite fearsome, do you agree?"

Alpha nodded solemnly. "I do. They outclass the earlier Hunters in strange ways, despite having inferior mana reserves compared to ours. Even Gamma had more toughness than Sigma has now."

"Yet as you say, Rho and Sigma's powers are bizarre, something the children could not have expected," Elena added, delight in her voice as the scenes raged on in Alpha's scry pool. "Their defeat is more certain now than ever. And even if Rho and Sigma should fall..."

"Yes, My Lady?" Alpha prompted. _Additional Hunters? _In the background, Nicol Bolas snorted and grunted in his sleep.

"They will still have bought me enough time to complete my quest for domination," Elena proclaimed, spreading her arms wide. The black-white Maelstrom crackled and seemed to grow louder and stronger at her very words. "And... if Rho and Sigma fall and the children confront me directly with the Planeswalkers in tow, then I will have some presents for you, Alpha. I know you will like them."

Alpha had a good idea what Elena was referring to, and a cold smile crossed his cruel lips, a sinister gleam in his eyes. "I will not disappoint you, My Lady. I will never fall."

*o*o*o*o*

Viktor hadn't been looking forward to the time when he was facing down an attacking Eldrazi again, but as he watched the two Spawnsire of Ulamog creatures charge at him and Makoto, he knew that he'd have to get used to this caliber of attack when facing off against Elena's minions. The Spawnsires dragged themselves forward on their four arms, raising the upper arms to start the attack. Viktor and Makoto both leaped backwards to get out of range, sending the Fighting Drake, Elvish Warrior, and Kentaro, the Smiling Cat to oppose the Spawnsires. However, the Spawnsires swept their arms before the defending creatures, reducing them to ashes with the Annihilator ability.

"Ah hahaha! What was that? Did you forget the Eldrazi race's terrifying power?" Sigma shouted in glee. "No matter can stand before them! They have the strength to obliterate whatever they choose, and now you're going to find out the hard way! I'll just watch from here. Put on a good show!"

"Beast!" Epsilon roared, charging at the blue-red Hunter again. He raised his ivory sword high and swung it at Sigma as fast as he could, the white blade hissing through the air. Sigma jumped to dodge it, only to find Epsilon's blade whipping toward him at a different angle. Sigma tumbled in the air to avoid it, yet Epsilon swung again and again, giving Sigma little room to dodge. The blade grazed Sigma's right arm, drawing blood and tearing his sleeve.

"Graaaaah! Little Clock Rocket!" Sigma cried in terror, seeing Epsilon's blade arc down for the final blow. Epsilon also cast his Freezing Attack Level 2 to trap Sigma in place, but he was too late: Sigma cast a new ghostly clock face, this one with the hands turning in the correct direction. Sigma drifted through the clock face, trying to dodge Epsilon and the Freezing Attack by moving laterally. The ploy worked, and as soon as Sigma touched the clock face, he zipped away at super-speed, even quicker than a fastwalk! Epsilon's sword and Freezing Attack hit the bare ground where Sigma had been standing, the Little Clock Rocket fading away.

"Whoa! Did you see that?" Makoto cried in amazement before one of the Spawnsires' giant hands slammed down on the ground near him, knocking him away.

"Focus or you'll get squashed!" Viktor snapped back, and his Vine Trellis erupted from his card to ensnare the hand of the other Spawnsire that tried to attack him. The Eldrazi's hand was trapped in the thick tangle of vines and roots, keeping it from Annihilating with that hand.

"Makoto! Quick!" Viktor cried, needing to keep feeding mana into the Vine Trellis to keep the Spawnsire of Ulamog trapped. Taking the cue, Makoto first cast Yamabushi's Flame on the other Spawnsire to keep it distracted, then cast Nagao, Bound by Honor and also cast Unnatural Speed to get the samurai moving in time. Viktor's Battlegrowth enhanced Nagao further, and the legendary Samurai jumped high into the air and swung his oversized katana with all his might at the trapped Eldrazi.

Viktor couldn't help but grin in victory as Nagao's silvery blade flashed right through one the Spawnsire of Ulamog's trapped arm, cleanly slicing it at the elbow. The severed gray limb fell heavily to the ground while still stuck in the Vines Trellis, bleeding dark blue-green blood. Or at least, it seemed to be blood. Another Yamabushi's Flame disintegrated the severed limb.

"How dare you hurt my pet?" Sigma roared from where he stood, shaking his fist. "You'll pay!" He started to make a move, but Viktor was on to him, using a card he had rarely used to this point: "Lethargy Trap!"

"Ugh!" Sigma cried, stumbling forward and losing his momentum, his eyes drooping. "What did you...?"

"I'll take your head, demon!" Epsilon cried, closing in on Sigma to finish the job, trapping the blue-red Hunter in a Freezing Attack Level 2. His ivory sword closed in, but was stymied once again when a pair of Emrakul's Hatchers jumped in the way and took the blow instead. Viktor had forgotten about the Eldrazi Drones surrounding the battlefield, but the Drones were hardly spectators; they would enter the fray if their master Sigma called for them.

The amputated Spawnsire of Ulamog growled and lurched again, and Viktor quickly cast a second Vine Trellis to hold it off. Viktor was starting to get tired as the Spawnsire pounded against the Vine Trellis, forcing him to keep pumping mana into it to resist the Annihilator ability So, he released the spell and backed away. Both Spawnsires backed up as well, their throats twitching.

"Maybe it's time they use their ultimate power, huh?" Sigma suggested, sounding excited. "They're just okay for attacking. I'll show you why I really brought these guys here!"

Epsilon was right behind him. "Your back's exposed," he hissed before swinging, and Sigma's left arm came up to block it. The straight-edged sword blade came out of Sigma's arm attachment, blocking Epsilon's ivory sword. Sparks of mana flew from the point of contact, both fighters pouring mana into their blades to overcome the other.

"No point, Epsilon! My arsenal of tricks greatly outclasses yours," Sigma cheered. "You should help out those kids over there! They've got Eldrazi problems, and I've been going easy on you so far! I haven't used all my powers yet, but you'll die if you keep fighting me alone when I start to use them!"

"Damn it," Epsilon gritted, breaking the sword lock and leaping over to the Spawnsire of Ulamogs, his flying plants joining him and acting as bodyguards. The Spawnsires were not willing to wait: both of them looked like they were going to throw up, and they both stuck their heads forward and spat out a number of Eldrazi Spawns, covered in slime and squirming on the rocky ground. The watching Eldrazi Drones made chattering noises upon seeing the Spawns.

"That's gross!" Makoto complained, making a face. "Did you see that?"

"Better stop gawking and fight, kid! Raaaaaah!" Sigma cried out, extending his right arm and making a fist. Blue-purple mana burst from within his fist, and lightning-like tendrils of mana shot forward toward the newly-born Spawns. The Spans leaped forward like fleas to attack Viktor and the others in a mob attack.

"Hey. Aren't Eldrazi Spawns 0/1 creatures?" Viktor frowned, summoning a Llanowar Behemoth and an Acidic Slime to intercept the Spawn mob. "Just meant to provide colorless mana to get the big Eldrazi out?"

"If we kill them all, it won't matter _what _they're for!" Epsilon roared his answer, sending his plants forward to attack, the plant warriors bouncing high into the air to cut down the airborne Spawns. Makoto sent forth his Nagao, Bound by Honor as well as a newly-cast Silverstorm Samurai, both warriors intent on hacking apart every Spawn they met. Both armies drew close in mid-air, and Viktor prepared to see a lot of dead Spawns until Sigma's blue-purple spell hit the Spawns. His eyes widened in shock as the Spawns all flashed different colors and grew rapidly, all into different shapes.

"He... did he just transform them? I don't think those are Drones, though..." Epsilon breathed, his eyes wide as he watched. His plant warriors flung their thorny assault vines to bash apart the tiny Spawns, but the plants' vines met against various Elementals, ogres, spirits, and even a dragon! The creatures were all classic fantasy beasts from what appeared to be Dominaria, plus a number of Zendikar inhabitants, and they had grown from the Eldrazi Spawns. _How is that possible? _Viktor wondered frantically.

Sigma's new pets didn't waste any time. Many of them were able to weather their enemies' attacks, blocking or dodging the creatures and plant warriors and counterattacking with devastating results. Sigma and his Spawnsire of Ulamog creatures hung back to watch the grand melee, with various creatures falling to the ground dead. Sigma's ranks started to thin out, but they had dealt considerable damage to Viktor's, Makoto's, and Epsilon's creatures, and now the Spawnsires produced dozens more Eldrazi Spawns, all of which bounded forward to join the battle.

"He's going to morph them again! Stop him!" Viktor cried, seeing Sigma prepare another spell. Viktor summoned Assault Zeppelid to stop the Hunter, but a Little Clock Slug blasted into existence and slowed the Simic beast to a crawl. Viktor was about to urge Makoto to try Comet Storm until one of Epsilon's plant warriors, a plant beast with several large dark red flowers, snuck up behind Sigma while he was busy stopping the Assault Zeppelid. Sigma turned to see fist-sized poison pollen balls shoot out of the plant's giant red flowers, driving him back and injecting him with their venom. Sigma bore through the pain and partially unleashed his spell, morphing some of the new Spawns into creatures while the others remained unchanged.

"Now! Comet Storm!" Viktor shouted, and Makoto put his Worldwake mythic rare to good use. The sky darkened as countless giant space rocks came crashing down, blocking the sun's rays. The giant hot comets blasted everywhere, forcing Viktor to protect himself and Makoto and Epsilon under a Vine Trellis umbrella. Meanwhile, the comets blew apart every creatures on the field, friendly or not, and left a bunch of smoking hot craters in the ground by the time the deafening and earth-shattering calamity had passed. Makoto slumped to the ground, sweating and wheezing from the energy needed to cast the mighty spell.

"Hang on. I'll get you back up," Viktor urged his friend, kneeling beside him and using a Regenerate to replenish Makoto's red-white mana aura. Makoto shakily got back to his feet, but as he stood the tremors faded from his limbs and he was able to survey the damage. "Dude."

Viktor thought the same. Almost every creature had been blasted into oblivion, nothing remaining of their bodies. Only the two Spawnsire of Ulamogs were left, both of which were burnt and battered from the comets. Sigma, too, staggered to his feet, charred and bruised.

"Damn... kids!" he roared. "I'll show you! You won't get another chance to do that!"

"Get him fast," Epsilon urged his allies, summoning a new batch of plants to attack with. Viktor saw the need for haste, because the two Spawnsires were heaving up another fresh batch of Spawns, dozens of the little beasts falling to the ground in a heap and squirming around each other. Instead of spreading out, however, the Spawns all gathered at one spot between the Spawnsires and made a single huge pile. The Spawns then started to glow with bright white light, their bodies beginning to merge.

"They're trying to summon another Eldrazi! Don't let them!" Viktor roared, and he summoned his Simic Sky Swallower to dish out maximum damage. He climbed on board the Sky Swallower's back, helping Makoto and Epsilon climb aboard with him.

The Simic Sky Swallower was excellent both as a tough aerial mount and heavy attacker, and Viktor dearly hoped that it would be able to stand up to Eldrazi. "Attack!" he ordered the beast, and the Sky Swallower gave a rumbling hiss as its answer and charged head-first at the pile of glowing Eldrazi Spawns. Epsilon raised his ivory sword and pointed it at the injured Spawnsire of Ulamog, shouting an order for his plants to attack it. Viktor and Makoto sent their creatures after the injured Spawnsire as well, hoping to take it out.

"Oh? What's this?" Sigma wondered from far below, watching the Simic Sky Swallower charge at the mountain of glowing Spawns. "I think you're trying to kill off my minions! Not so fast. Little Clock Slug!"

"Cancel!" Viktor shouted the name of his card, the blue instant taking effect just in time. Sigma swung his magic-heavy right arm to create a clock face to slow down the Simic Sky Swallower, but Viktor's Cancel made the spell fizzle in Sigma's hand before it could take effect. Meanwhile, the creatures and Epsilon's plant warriors mobbed the injured Spawnsire of Ulamog, overwhelming its defenses. The Eldrazi fought back by swinging its hands like clubs, but by being on the defensive, it could not Annihilate anything.

"Charge! Kill all the Spawns!" Viktor cried to the Sky Swallower, seeing that the Spawns had nearly completed their task of forming a new Eldrazi. He was prepared for the second Little Clock Slug that Sigma cast to impede the Sky Swallower, but Viktor realized too late that it was a mere ruse: he Canceled the Little Clock Slug, but a Little Clock Rocket was cast under the Spawn mountain at the same time, speeding the Spawns' task to completion. The Little Clock Rocket punished Viktor's ears with its _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK! _Much more importantly, a gigantic Eldrazi started to take form, even bigger than Viktor was expecting. The Simic Sky Swallower plowed right on ahead, its massive toothy mouth striking against the newcomers' chest.

Then Viktor realized that he was standing in the _shadow _of the new creature. Dread tightening his stomach, he backed up the Simic Sky Swallower to look up at the mask-like face of the Eldrazi. The Eldrazi had a triangular, mask-like face with a point for a chin, and several horn-like protrusions stuck out of its head. Two dark, circular depressions in the creature's face constituted its eyes. Then, the body was rather man-like, with folds of muscle on the dark purple and red body, and two humanoid arms sprouted from the shoulders. The Eldrazi had two squat, abdomen-like appendages at its base, and three insectoid legs supported the beast and allowed it to stand upright: two legs on the left, one on the right.

"Hey. I know what this one is," Makoto realized, not sounding too happy. Epsilon could only stare in horror.

Viktor nodded grimly. "Me too. Looks like we're up against It That Betrays."

*o*o*o*o*

"Are you too afraid to make a move, dear children? Does seeing your death before your very eyes frighten you that much?" Rho taunted Devin, Kelly, and Ashley, hovering in place with her beating fairy wings. She drew her finger along her jawline, then flicked a lock of her hair with a menacing gleam in her eyes. "Well?"

"Make her come to us," Devin muttered to his friends, making sure Rho couldn't hear. "Give us the home advantage. All the traps are set."

"Are you ignoring me, you naughty boy?" Rho called out to Devin, pointing at him. She leaned forward in midair as though she were about to be shot out of a cannon. "Then I will teach you some manners the hard way! Aaaaaaaaaaargh!"

It was just what Devin wanted: Rho was charging head-on, and apparently her patience didn't match her falsely sweet mannerisms. Rho was charging in frighteningly fast, a giant blue-green blur, but the three kids were ready.

"What? How foul!" Rho snarled as the ground below her corrupted and became brackish, like a swamp with countless feelers sprouting out of a growing pond of thick, acidic water. The slimy tendrils shot upwards and ensnared the passing Rho, her momentum making her strain against the bonds. She struggled to free herself, but her effort only set off the second trap: a flight of arrows soared through the air, with hundreds of arrowheads thudding into Rho's trapped body as the rest whooshed past. The blue-green hunter threw her head back and cried out in agony, and Devin didn't waste any time making use of the Drag Down and Arrow Volley Trap. He recklessly went all-out as was red and green's prerogative, and sent his Lord of Shatterskull Pass stomping rapidly toward the injured and helpless Rho. The massive Minotaur roared and shook the earth with his voice and hooves, and the Lord swung his spiked wooden club and smashed it into Rho's body with a sickening _THUD._

"Yeah! Give it to her!" Devin cheered on his new creature, and the monstrous Lord of Shatterskull Pass didn't waste any time in drawing back its club for a second heavy blow, intending to smash Rho to bits this time around. Right as the Lord drew its club back to the highest position, however, the Minotaur bellowed in shock and pain as a huge, praying mantis-like limb impaled its chest, the limb sticking out the other end.

The Lord of Shatterskull Pass twitched and jerked as its internal organs were shredded by the insectoid limb, and the Minotaur slumped helplessly in place as the limb lifted it higher into the air. Devin's eyes widened as he saw that Rho's right arm was in fact the insect arm, huge and grotesque compared to the rest of her body.

"Foolish children! Did you think me so helpless?" Rho shouted in triumph as she raised the impaled Lord of Shatterskull Pass even higher, her eyes fiery. Several globs of blue-green flesh covered her body, starting to mend the wounds that the Arrow Volley Trap and the Minotaur's club had dealt her. "No! I am not a Hunter for nothing, and now I will show you why!"

"I think you're a little doomed over there," Kelly said quietly, and Rho strained to hear.

"What?" Rho asked, before she looked down and saw black arcane symbols in a circle on the ground below her, all of which began to glow red. With a flare of fierce black mana, the symbols all exploded and enveloped Rho in life-destroying vapors, intent on destroying her utterly. Rho released the Lord of Shatterskull Pass and swooped higher into the air to escape the black mana, with wisps of it still clinging to her as she rose into fresh air. The healing globs were still on Rho's body, but some of them had been destroyed and some of Rho's injuries remained unhealed.

"Quick!" Kelly cried, and Devin's Volcanic Dragon and Ashley's Baneslayer Angel swooped forth on wings of Fury, in order to finish the job Kelly's Seal of Doom had started. Rho looked up just in time to see the Angel and Dragon closing in on her, and she raised her giant mantis arm to block the Angel, sparks of mana flaring up from the point of contact between the Angel's sword and Rho's insect arm's carapace. The Dragon swooped in on Rho's left flank, jaws wide to bite her in half. Rho extended her left arm and it, too, turned into that of a giant praying mantis. The Volcanic Dragon bit down on the arm, but was unable to crush it, instead grappling with it.

"That's just nasty," Devin commented uneasily as he watched the three-way battle, standing near Kelly and Ashley. "Rho has these huge insect arms? She looked better without them, all normal..."

"Hey! This is no time to be admiring her," Ashley objected, prodding Devin accusingly.

"I-I wasn't doing that! She just looks weird with the arms..." Devin defended himself meekly, before Gerbie emerged and put his two cents in. "If fairy-girl there weren't so deadly, she'd make a mighty fine catch," the Simic gerbil observed, taking in Rho's smooth, curvy body and graceful facial features. "Get it? Catch a fairy?"

"Stuff it," Ashley ordered him, starting to cram Gerbie into her pocket until she froze, her hands still on Gerbie's head. "Wait. Catch? Of course!"

"See?" Gerbie said smugly before being fully crammed into Ashley's pocket. Ashley turned to Devin. "Don't you have any anti-air cards? With your red-green theme?"

Devin thought for a second them remembered, snapping his fingers. "Yeah! Entangling Vines! I used them in the illusory battle in my mind. I was fighting a swarm of small fairies in there," he said excitedly. He quickly rifled through his card stack one-handedly. "I think it's around here..."

"Hurry! Rho's one-upping us," Kelly shouted over the din of battle. Devin looked up to see that Kelly was right: Rho had parried the Baneslayer Angel's sword and slashed back, the praying mantis limb's spikes raking the Angel's flesh and injuring it, blood flying from the wound. Rho laughed wildly as her other arm wrenched free of Volcanic Dragon's mouth and she smacked the Dragon's snout, driving the beast back. Ashley's Into the Roil enveloped the Angel and Dragon in cyclones of water and blue mana, shielding them from further injury. Rho looked confused, then changed tactics.

"If I cannot harm them, I will harm you!" she shouted, streaking toward the three kids. Ashley got to work using Holy Day to start healing Baneslayer Angel and Volcanic Dragon, while Devin set up the defense. He held his card up high, and a massive web of strong green vines burst into the air, spreading out to catch Rho. However, the blue-green fairy swooped higher into the air, above most of the vines. She slashed with her mantis limbs, cutting the few vines that did reach her as she arced down to attack the kids from behind.

Not giving up, Devin wheeled around and summoned another swarm of vines, all of them flailing through the air to try and catch Rho. Kelly added her Resounding Scream to the mix, and the black Instant caused a hair-raising wail to reverberate through the air. Kelly was able to channel its effects away from herself and her allies, sending it all at Rho. The blue-green Hunter grimaced and covered her ears against the mind-wrenching noise, slowing her down and allowing Devin's Entangling Vines to snare her like a fly on a spiderweb.

"There! Now we've got her for real!" Kelly shouted, not losing any momentum. She went all out and cast Xathrid Demon, which drained a lot of her black mana aura and forced her to sink to her knees in exhaustion. Devin cast his Predator Dragon to aid the Demon, then knelt by Kelly's side in concern.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he asked her, shaking her shoulders as Kelly's head lolled to one side. "Y-yeah. I think I overdid it there, but now Rho's done for," Kelly answered with a triumphant grin on her lips. She pointed, and Devin turned to see Xathrid Demon and Predator Dragon close in on the helpless Rho.

But she was not so helpless after all.

"Is that more pollen? Like when Rho first appeared?" Devin asked, frowning as he saw that a cloud of pale green spores had emanated from Rho's wings, and she reverted her arms to normal and swept them to spread the pollen throughout the air. Both the Xathrid Demon and Predator Dragon stopped near Rho, hesitating against the cloud of pollen wafting by.

"What are you doing? Don't hesitate! Kill her!" Kelly shouted at her Xathrid Demon, frustrated at the Demon's uncertainty. The beast growled and looked back at Kelly, a dull look in its eyes. Or rather, a _sleepy _look in its eyes, which Predator Dragon had too.

"Do you think that's the sleep pollen that she used on us earlier?" Ashley asked, and Devin nodded. "Got to be. Damn! I forgot about this. Guttural Response, come to the rescue!"

He was too late, however: both Predator Dragon and Xathrid Demon were barely able to remain aloft on their wings, their heads hanging and their tails drooping. Rho was not done, however, and wafted her arms again, this time with a cloud of bright red spores.

"Oi! Wake up, you big bozos!" Gerbie shouted, and as though by his words, the Xathrid Demon perked up, suddenly energized again. The Predator Dragon was still sleepy, barely staying aloft. "Hey. He listened?" Gerbie said in wonder, watching the Xathrid Demon set into motion. However, he and the kids realized to their horror that the Xathrid Demon was inhaling Rho's red spores, and raised his arm to sink its claws into Predator Dragon's flank.

"Kelly! What was that for!" Devin roared at his friend, and Kelly blanched. "I d-didn't do that!" she cried, covering her face with her hands. "Xathrid Demon! Stop! Attack Rho!"

The Demon, however, seemed to be deaf to its master's command. Xathrid Demon turned on the still-slow Predator Dragon, bashing it apart with its huge and powerful demonic claws. The Dragon screeched weakly as it was decimated, helpless before the onslaught. With the Dragon destroyed, Xathrid Demon turned his back to Rho and faced the kids, intent on attacking them next.

"Well! What do you think of my betrayal spores?" Rho cried from her vine web. "Once again, it is folly to underestimate me! My dear Demon, tear them apart!"

"Now this is troublesome," Devin muttered, watching the Xathrid Demon obey its new master and charge at the kids in the air. "I hope the Baneslayer Angel and Volcanic Dragon have healed by now, because we need their help!"

"Not quite," Ashley shook her head, so she, Devin, and Kelly prepared for new spells to defend them from Rho's unstoppable power.


	31. Chapter 31

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 31

Even Epsilon's plant warriors knew that they were in great peril. There were over two dozen of them out and about right now, but they all drifted backwards from the It That Betrays, hovering in the air like plant-spaceships. Viktor knew that he, Makoto, and Epsilon were in even greater danger, because their Simic Sky Swallower mount was plowed right up against the towering Eldrazi's chest, right in its strike range. _Gotta get out of here! _Viktor thought frantically.

"Ah hahaha! You look a little scared over there, children, Epsilon!" Sigma shouted giddily from where he stood, near the injured Spawnsire of Ulamog. "It's about time I play my trump card to see you dead! Enjoy the afterlife!"

"Not just yet, freak!" Viktor growled back, addressing both Sigma and It That Betrays. The 11/11 Eldrazi had the trademark green diamond tattoo on its bony forehead, proving its Enslavement and its allegiance to Sigma and Elena. Viktor quickly mentally ordered the Simic Sky Swallower to back up, not wanting to fight It That Betrays on its own terms. The gigantic Leviathan rumbled in agreement and scooted backwards in the air and out of arm's reach of It That Betrays. Epsilon's two dozen plant warriors glided through the air to form a floating defensive perimeter around Viktor, Makoto, and Epsilon.

"Get them!" Sigma shouted, and It That Betrays set into motion, much faster than Viktor was expecting. The Eldrazi had no real legs, instead using three of its five humanoid arms to walk around, and at a quick shuffle at that. The huge beast clamored forward and closed the distance between it and the Sky Swallower, and raised its other two arms to bash the Simic beast apart. Makoto's Yamabushi's Flame card flared out its red magic, and a searing bolt of fire shot out to scorch one of It That Betrays' hands, making the Eldrazi hiss in anger and hold that hand back. However, the Eldrazi swung its other hand, and only Viktor's quickly-cast Vine Trellis stood between him and the beast's hand.

However, It That Betrays was an Eldrazi, and it lived up to that reputation right away. The Vine Trellis was large, but It That Betrays' hand didn't even need to touch it to destroy it: as soon as the Eldrazi's hand got close, the Vine Trellis was blasted into millions of flakes of ash, vaporized by the power of the Annihilator ability. There was nothing left to stop the Eldrazi's hand, or so Viktor thought. At their master's desperate command, two of Epsilon's plant warriors got in the way of It That Betrays' hand, taking the blow in Viktor's place. Both plant warriors were crushed by It That Betrays' power strike, and the Eldrazi pulled back its hand to launch another two-hand attack.

"Quick! On the offensive!" Viktor demanded, and his companions were quick to agree. Makoto's Mothrider Samurai was cast into existence, along with a Silverstorm Samurai. Viktor's Assault Zeppelid, a 3/3 blue-green flying trampler, acted as a mount for the Silverstorm Samurai to ride upon, increasing the combat potency of both creatures. Viktor also cast one of his new creatures to join the fray: Khalni Hydra. It cost a lot of Viktor's green mana to cast, but he wanted to take advantage of its power sooner than later. As it was, the massive 8/8 green Hydra quickly morphed into existence, throwing back its eight heads to make an eight-fold bellow of primal rage and hunger.

"Good. Now let It That Betrays feel your might!" Viktor muttered in encouragement, and then sent his creatures against the waiting It That Betrays, along with Makoto's creatures and all of Epsilon's plants.

"Not so fast! Little Clock Slug!" Sigma shouted from down on the ground, waving his magical right hand to cast the detrimental clock face. Viktor quickly cast his Cancel in response, but the red-blue Hunter had another surprise waiting.

"Cancel the Cancel!" Sigma cried in glee, and Viktor saw that five soda can-sized glass vials had appeared on Sigma's arm attachment, each containing a globe of crackling blue-red mana. He clenched his left fist, and one of the vials emptied out its blue mana and transferred it to Sigma's hand, allowing him to clench that hand into a fist to cast the Cancel on Viktor's own Cancel. The end effect was that the Little Clock Slug went into effect after all, and with its deafening _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK!_, the clock face allowed the Assault Zeppelid and Silverstorm Samurai to pass right through, slowing down to almost a crawl.

It That Betrays was quick on the upkeep. It punched Khalni Hydra in the gut to drive it back with its right hand, and then swung its left hand at the Assault Zeppelid and Silverstorm Samurai. Viktor expected both creatures to be Annihilated, but he was in for a surprise.

"Whoa! Its eyes glowed!" Makoto cried, pointing up at It That Betrays' face. Viktor looked up, and indeed, the Eldrazi's pit-like eyes had started glowing bright white, the light lasting for only a few seconds. It That Betrays' hand swung close to the Silverstorm Samurai/ Assault Zeppelid team, but the two creatures did not blast apart into ashes. Instead, the Zeppelid turned around to face Viktor, and he saw that the Zeppelid's and Silverstorm Samurai's eyes were all glowing bright white, with wisps of white mana trailing upwards from the eyes like smoke from a fire.

"I think… that's bad," Makoto said weakly in fear, and his fears were confirmed. It That Betrays was living up to its name, and now the two creatures were turned against their masters. They rocketed after Viktor for the attack, and he was forced to order his Khalni Hydra to destroy them. The Hydra obeyed, lashing out with its many heads. Multiple jaws tore apart the Assault Zeppelid and Silver Storm Samurai, destroying them. The horrors of Sigma's Eldrazi pet were not over, however, and It That Betrays attacked the Hydra again, tearing off two of its heads, necks and all. Epsilon's plant warriors got in close to retaliate, and they lashed out with their thorny vines and acidic pollen. These attacks scored shallow wounds on It That Betrays' body, until the Eldrazi fought back. Its eyes glowed again and it swept its hands.

Epsilon brought his ivory sword to the ready position. "Damn it He turns my minions against me!" he cursed. Four of the plant warriors turned and zoomed after Epsilon, spreading their vine-arms wide to tear the renegade Hunter apart. As soon as the plants got close, Epsilon leaped high into the air to greet them, spinning rapidly in place to make a wide arc of attack. His Freezing Attack Level 1 froze one of the plants, giving him the room needed to slice another one in half. The other two mobbed him with vines swinging everywhere, and Epsilon had to dodge the assault and get clear to counter-attack. One of the vines gripped his arm, so he used it to tug the plant warrior close and kick its body, blasting it apart. Epsilon proceeded to hack apart the third plant, and then the fourth one as soon as it was released from Freezing Attack Level 1.

The rest of the plant warriors continued to bash at It That Betrays, lashing out with their thorns and pollen. None of their attacks hit hard enough to take the beast down, however, and It That Betrays Annihilated two more plant warriors, then converted four more to its side and sent them after Viktor. Khalni Hydra staggered back into the battle, snapping out with its six remaining heads. Its bites tore off pieces of It That Betrays' flesh, wounding it.

"Get them! Now!" Sigma ordered his pet and It That Betrays lurched forward, pushing aside the remaining plant warriors to head-butt Khalni Hydra out of the way. The Eldrazi had a clear line of sight to the Simic Sky Swallower, and Viktor was distracted with the four converted plant warriors, fighting them off with a Fighting Drake. It That Betrays lumbered forward to destroy the Simic Sky Swallower, raising both combat arms to take it apart.

"Move!" Viktor gritted out to his Simic mount, still distracted with the converted plant warriors. The Simic Sky Swallower once again obeyed its master, backing up and starting to rise in the air, trying to get out of It That Betrays' reach. The Simic beast was faster than the Eldrazi and was in the clear, until Sigma cast a Little Clock Rocket to speed up his pet.

It That Betrays passed through the ghostly clock face, suddenly accelerating to blinding speed despite its mammoth size. The 11/11 Eldrazi instantly confronted the Simic Sky Swallower, gripping the Simic beast with both hands, prepared to Annihilate simply by holding on. The Simic Sky Swallower couldn't shake off It That Betrays' iron grip, and was helpless as it stared down the Eldrazi. Even with the four converted plant warriors now destroyed, Viktor knew that he had only one chance to save his Sky Swallower before it was killed. He raised a new card into the air and shouted the name of its subject to help him concentrate as he cast it.

"Ulamog's Crusher!"

*o*o*o*o*

"I really think we underestimated Rho's power," Devin commented grimly as he watched the traitorous Xathrid Demon charge in for the kill, obeying its new master Rho. "Just with some spores, she…"

"Focus!" Kelly barked in a panic, grabbing Devin's collar and yanking him out of Xathrid Demon's reach. The Demon reached its prey and swung its huge clawed hand to gore the three kids, but Ashley's Wall of Denial flashed into being and stopped the attack cold. The Xathrid Demon growled and frowned in frustration as its claws struggled against the ethereal Wall of Denial, with yellow and blue sparks of mana flying from the point of impact of claw against wall. The Demon redoubled its effort and started to push through the Wall, but the Wall had given Devin enough time to prepare a counter-attack.

"Yah! Bug attack!" Devin cried as the Xathrid Demon burst through the Wall of Denial. The Demon tried to claw him, but a massive, armor-plated beetle burst into existence to stand between the Demon and its caster. Devin's Violent Outburst gave the Giant Ambush Beetle the kickstart it needed to bash at the Xathrid Demon, though its insect claws dealt minimal damage against the 7/7 Demon. However, Devin grinned in delight as Violent Outburst's Cascade ability triggered, and he was able to cast Shock without even needing to touch the card. The Shock's lightning bolt crackled in Xathrid Demon's eyes, burning the flesh and blinding the Demon.

The Xathrid Demon howled in pain and clutched its face, giving Giant Ambush Beetle the chance it needed to land a real blow. Kelly's Vicious Hunger drove the Beetle to an even greater combat frenzy, and the bug was able to gore the Xathrid Demon and tear out its innards, slaying the beast.

Devin panted from the excitement and effort of casting a mana-pumped Giant Ambush Beetle and boosting it with all those spells. He wiped his brow with his only hand, turning to face Ashley and Kelly. "That wasn't too hard, was it?" he asked the sisters.

"Apparently not, dear child," a sweet voice said behind Devin, and he nearly jumped out of his skin as Rho appeared right behind him, closing the distance between her and him in a blink. Kelly realized that Rho had used a fastwalk, moving to Devin in an ultra-rapid blue-green blur, not even needing her wings. Devin wheeled around but was too late to defend himself. Rho turned her right arm into a giant mantis arm again and swung it to cut Devin in half, until Ashley leaped to intervene and cast her Curse of Chains card on Rho's arm. Thick, white chains glowing with blue mana clanked into existence and shackled Rho's oversized mantis arm to the ground, stopping her attack and trapping the Hunter in place.

"Now!" Ashley cried, and she summoned her Sigiled Paladin to attack the trapped Hunter, along with a Grixis Slavedriver that Kelly cast and a Scythe Tiger that Devin cast. Ashley was about to dissipate her Into the Roil spell to release Baneslayer Angel and Volcanic Dragon, but her attention was diverted by Rho's newest ploy. Rho raised her other arm and morphed it into a mantis arm, sweeping it wide to knock back the three attacking creatures. Rho's attack lacked the power to do much damage, but it bought her enough time to sweep the arm again and release a cloud of bright green spores just as the creatures attacked again.

"Wait! Stop!" Ashley cried, but once again Rho's magic was taking place. The three creatures hit the cloud of green spores and howled in pain, staggering back as their skin started to sizzle away into vapors of mana. Devin heard a loud, sickening hiss from the creatures, and could easily guess what Rho just did.

"Acid spores?" Kelly gritted, watching what was happening. "How many such moves does she have? Sleep pollen, betrayal spores, now acid spores…"

"And the Land of Dreams," Devin added grimly, remembering his phantasmal battle in his own mind. Ashley cast a Holy Day to keep the creatures from taking any more damage, but Rho went back on the offensive. She broke free of the Curse of Chains with a mighty effort and swooped in to finish off the kids, sweeping a cloud of dark purple pollen as she went. The purple pollen scattered everywhere from Rho's height, and the three kids were too slow to escape it.

"Whoa. Everything… spinning and lurching…" Devin muttered woozily, swaying in place like a drunkard on a sea-tossed ship. He tried to focus, but as he inhaled the purple pollen, his vision grew fuzzy and the world seemed to be throwing him off-balance as it swayed. He saw Kelly and Ashley try to run from Rho's dive-bomb attack, but they staggered clumsily and both fell to the ground, helpless as Rho closed in to behead them both with her mantis arms.

"Raaaaaah! Die, foul children!" Rho screamed, until an unexpected attack crashed into her, knocking her out of the way and tumbling to the ground. She whipped her head up and saw Volcanic Dragon and Baneslayer Angel hovering over Kelly and Ashley like guardians, and the Into the Roil spell was dissipating in the background.

"The creatures escaped the protective roils all by themselves?" Rho muttered angrily, and then realized that the acid-damaged Grixis Slavedriver, Scythe Tiger, and Sigiled Paladin were attacking her from behind. Rho bared her teeth and swooped out of the way, retreating back into the cloud of purple pollen for protection. The three creatures pursued her but became clumsy and disoriented as they breathed in the pollen, and Rho smiled. _Even they must fall prey! _she thought.

Kelly tried to focus through her dizziness, her brain feeling like a frazzled mass of confused sensory input. Where was up? What was down? Which limb was where? Then, she felt a lump of cards in her pocket, and hoped that there was something in there to help her, anything at all. She clumsily tried to reach into her pocket, but her fingers felt thick and stiff, unable to grasp her deck.

"Too late! You die!" Rho cried, releasing another cloud of acid spores as she swooped in for the kill to increase her offensive power. She was immune to her own pollen and spores, but nothing the kids could do would protect them. Or was that so?

"Turn to Mists!" Ashley cried, holding up the said card. "W-wait! That's not what I… um…" However, her spell wound up having the best effect for the situation: rather than removing her, Kelly, and Devin from the field, the Turn to Mists converted all of Rho's sleep pollen and acid spores into fine water droplets in the air, utterly harmless. Rho cried out in wordless rage as her adversaries shut down her most powerful attack, and then she realized that the kids had regained their bearings. Both Volcanic Dragon and Baneslayer Angel lunged for the kill, along with the other three creatures from before. Rho prepared herself for the onslaught, and all five creatures piled on top of her in a single massive attack, creating an earth-shattering collision of mana and bodies.

"Whoa… did we get her?" Kelly asked with hesitation, staggering to her feet and shielding her eyes from the smoke of the detonation. "Keep your guards up, guys. We can't be sure what – oh, no!"

There was a crater left over from the collision, but all five creatures were gone. More importantly, Rho was gone too, but Kelly's mana aura hinted at the Hunter's continued existence. _She's still here somewhere! Where?_

"Devin? Is that you?" Ashley asked, seeing a third form emerge from the smoke, and the person resolved into Devin grinning widely.

"Heya," he greeted. "Looks like Rho has another trick for us."

"Huh?" Kelly asked, confused. Then, her heart skipped a beat as Devin emerged from the smoke again: a second Devin, grinning just like the first! Both Devins stood side by side, a few feet apart, in the exact same posture.

"What the hell is this?" Kelly exclaimed before she could help herself. "Devin?"

Both Devins did a one-arm shrug. "One of us is him…" one said.

"..And the other is not!" the other laughed.

_Damn it. Looks like Rho can shapeshift, too, and she is controlling the real Devin with her control spores! _Kelly thought, trying to dispel the shocked panic in her mind. _There's no telling which of them is real until they launch an attack and probably overwhelm Ashley and I! What do I do? I better think of something fast._


	32. Chapter 32

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 32

Kelly was tempted to be frozen in fear and uncertainty, but she knew that she couldn't afford such a delay. Both Devins confronted her and Ashley, and they meant to kill. Both of them flared up their red-green mana auras, and Kelly frowned. _Rho can even disguise her mana aura to look like Devin's? Isn't there any way to tell which is the real one?_

"Hahaha! Your expression delights me, child!" both Devins gleefully cried in unison, and enhanced by their mana auras, they leaped high into the air like fleas. Both of them came crashing down again, thrusting their arms forward to make an earth-shuddering punch aimed at Kelly and Ashley. Both sisters leaped out of the way, but they were shocked once again by the power that a fully-flared mana aura could grant.

"I didn't even know we could do that! Devin certainly never tried this," Ashley cried over the din, trying to resist coughing from the dust and dirt particles kicked up from both Devins hitting the ground. A yards-wide crater had formed, the earth scorched from the intense mana-enhanced punches.

"If Devin doesn't remember this, then we'll tell him later. For now, we have to subdue him! Both of him!" Kelly barked, and both Devins staggered up to their feet, smiling wildly.

"You dodge well!" one of them complimented.

"But can you dodge this?" the other challenged, and both Devins drew back their hands and charged up new red-green mana on their hands. Kelly was unsure what they were planning, but then the Devins thrust their arms forward, and two massive fireballs raged forth, one from each Devin. Only Kelly's Wall of Bone protected her, the barricade of magic bones absorbing the brunt of the attack. The last of the fires died off, and the Wall stood, albeit damaged.

_I didn't know we could do that, either! _Kelly thought with increasing frustration. Her own charcoal-black mana aura was up, but she wasn't confident that she could fling her mana around like that. _How can Rho know more about us than us? She's green-blue, after all… bodily enchantment and tinkering is her specialty! Her body is her advantage… wait._

Ashley hurried to her bigger sister's side, before the Devins fired their second volley of fire. Ashley's Safe Passage diverted the flames, the holy walls of smoke ensuring that the sisters took no harm. The Devins only laughed and advanced, charging up their mana auras to an even greater extent.

"I'm afraid of hurting them. What about the real Devin?" Ashley voiced her concern. "We're all already worn out from fighting Rho."

Kelly gripped her stack of cards tightly. "Don't worry, Ash. I've got a plan. When the Devins attack again, just keep their attacks away until I carry it out."

"Okay, I –" Ashley started, until both Devins punched the ground, shattering it like an earthquake. Great jagged chunks of dirt and rock broke free of the ground, throwing Ashley and Kelly off their feet and buffeting them about in an earthy storm. Taking advantage of this, the Devins launched their fireballs again, the flames washing over Ashley and Kelly with only their armor-like mana auras to protect them. The mana auras prevented all damage, but Ashley's and Kelly's already waning mana auras were reduced to dangerously low levels by the attack. They couldn't afford to keep this up.

"Now! You die, children!" both Devins cried, leaping forward for one final attack. Ashley's Holy Day slowed down the pair of Devins, and Ashley waited to see what Kelly's plan was. She was shocked when Kelly brandished one of her rarely-used cards, a Consume Spirit. It was a Sorcery which cost X1B and read, "Spend only black mana on X. Consume Spirit deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life."

_I don't think I've seen K__elly use that card before, _Ashley noticed, until she clapped her hands over her mouth in shock when she saw how her sister used that card. Two long, deathly-black spikes of black mana shot out of the card, and each one impaled one of the Devins in the gut in mid-air. Both Devins were stuck on the ends of the mana spikes, blood coming out of their mouths as they twitched uselessly and gaped at their enemy.

"You…!" both Devins gasped.

Ashley scrambled to Kelly's side. "Kelly!" she raged. "The real Devin…!"

"Check the pockets! Of either one of them!" Kelly snapped, wanting to hurry before her spell killed the Devins. Ashley snapped herself out of it and rushed over to the Devins, using some of her blue mana to drift up into the air and take the side of one of the Devins. Kelly used the imp-aspect of her black mana to float into the air as well, checking the other Devin.

"What are we looking for?" Ashley trembled, aware that both Devins were rapidly dying.

Kelly reached into the pockets of her Devin. "Rho imitated Devin's body, personality, and even his mana aura," she stated. She rummaged in her Devin's pockets, and pulled out his cards. "But can she imitate his cards correctly? I bet not. Check."

"U-um…" Ashley hesitated, until she realized what her sister was on to. She slipped her hand into her Devin's pockets, and her hand encountered his stack of twenty or so cards. She pulled the stack out, and looked over to Kelly. "Should these cards look strange or anything?"

Kelly looked over her Devin's cards and saw that they were completely normal. Her face brightened. "Yes, they should," she said. Ashley inspected her Devin's cards, and gasped as she realized that the cards she held were blank white. They were the right size and thickness, but had no graphics on them. Ashley glanced in fear at the Devin she had taken the cards from. _This one is Rho! _She voiced her findings.

"I knew it!" Kelly cried in triumph, waving a hand to dispel the mana spike that had impaled the real Devin. He started to fall, until Ashley drifted over and caught him in her arms. She settled to the ground, gently laying Devin on the grass and getting out her Holy Day card again. _Poor Devin. He's always the one getting hurt the most when we fight, _she lamented, allowing her holy white magic to start mending Devin's wounds. He lay there passively, almost as though asleep. _Get better soon._

Kelly, too, was immensely relieved that the real Devin had been located and treated, but she has unsettled business. She confronted the fake Devin, who looked up at Kelly with a look of fury.

"You foul little witch!" the Devin hissed, his voice changing back to Rho's, a strange sound coming from Devin's body. "How dare you…"

"Oh, hush," Kelly grinned, and Rho's body transformed back into her own, but she was still impaled on the Consume Spirit spike. Rho smiled, and Kelly frowned at the sight.

"You fool! You little fool!" Rho cried. Globs of green flesh with blue veins started to cover her body, mending its injuries. "I cannot die! My body is my greatest weapon, and you will never take it from me! You're too weak to continue resisting me, anyway."

"I don't think so," Kelly retorted, seeing that Rho's forehead emerald was glowing bright, a sign that she was using up most of her mana just to heal. "Time to take you out!"

Kelly made good on her promise: she devoted the last of her black mana to one final spell, a super-charged Vicious Hunger. The raging storm of ravenous black mana hit Rho like a tidal wave, blasting its furious energy and consuming the Hunter. Rho's cry of anguish and defeat was soon overtaken by the mana storm, but Kelly rapidly felt herself weaken from the exertion. With her sight growing fuzzy, she fell to her knees, too weak to continue standing. Her patience paid off, however, and after one final pulse of mana, Rho's body exploded in a shower of blue and green mana.

The regular effect of Vicious Hunger meant that some of Rho's mana was transferred to Kelly, giving her the strength she needed to stay conscious and stand up, as well as dispel the Consume Spirit spike. As the clouds of Vicious Hunger parted, Kelly saw that nothing was left of Rho: except for her forehead emerald, which had been flung high into the air and was starting to fall again.

_I have to catch it! _Kelly thought, and was about to cast a tiny Sengir Vampire to fly up and catch it before a purple and black portal appeared in the air near the emerald. Kelly recognized the portal as one of Elena's, and dread filled her. A single Bird creature, with feathers of green and black, emerged from that portal and swooped upon the airborne emerald. Kelly could only watch as the Bird took the emerald in its talons and flew back through the portal, vanishing from sight as the portal faded away. Kelly, now on the ground, slumped to her knees from a renewed sense of exhaustion. _I let it get away. Curse it! At least Rho is gone. Is Devin okay?_

Kelly hurried over to Ashley and Devin, making sure not to overexert herself as she ran. She knelt by Devin's side, and he sat up suddenly.

"Dude. What the hell happened?" he asked with a grin, clutching his head with his only hand. "I feel fine, but…"

He was cut off as both sisters lunged on him in a tight hug of relief. "We destroyed Rho," Ashley told him, tears in her eyes. "And we're glad you're okay. You were possessed, and then injured…"

"Wow. Just business as usual, huh?" Devin said with humor, accepting both hugs. "Thank you, Kelly and Ashley, for this. I kind of pooped out halfway through, but oyu both finished the job."

"That's right," Kelly said with a weak smile. "Both of us."

"But you lost the emerald, didn't ya? Didn't ya, butterfingers?" a voice taunted Kelly, and Gerbie emerged from Ashley's jeans pocket like a dragon from its denim lair.

"Gerbie!" Ashley admonished her Simic pet.

"What's that about the emerald? Did we lose Rho's forehead emerald?" Devin asked. Kelly nodded.

"I was too exhausted to get it. One of Elena's Enslaved creatures, a bird, got it first and took it away. I'm very sorry."

"Could we have even used its power?" Devin wondered.

Ashley shook her head. "No, Devin. We can't use the emeralds ourselves; we just try to secure them so the other Hunters can't absorb their power, the way Epsilon absorbed Gamma's emerald."

"Oh, yeah. Epsilon's a good guy, so it's okay for him," Devin grinned, then his face fell. "But now one of the other Hunters can absorb Rho's emerald and gain her powers?"

"Most likely. But you can handle it, can't you, big boy?" Gerbie said confidently, and everyone agreed.

*o*o*o*o*

Viktor realized that he had made a foolish mistake. Already, he was standing atop his mammoth Simic Sky Swallower, a 6/6 monster that required a serious investment in his green-blue mana reserves to cast. Then, there was his 8/8 Khalni Hydra standing on the ground, desperately trying to fend off It That Betrays. A Fighting Drake hovered in the air over Viktor, but its mana cost was negligible. The problem was trying to maintain a Simic Sky Swallower, a Khalni Hydra, and an Ulamog's Crusher all at the same time.

"Viktor!" Makoto yelped in shock, seeing his friend fall to his knees and struggle to stay upright as he held up the Ulamog's Crusher card. Viktor squinted against the blinding mana light of the Eldrazi being cast, and felt his strength dwindling at a frightening pace. _Damn it. I got carr__ied away and tried to cast one too many big creatures! Gotta fix…_

"Ah hahaha! Not feeling so good?" Sigma shouted, leaping an astonishing length from the ground to the top of It That Betrays' head. He pointed at Viktor. "Kill him, my pet!"

Makoto's Cage of Hands helped delay the It That Betrays, with a swarm of ethereal hands encasing the Eldrazi's head and restraining it, making the Eldrazi hesitate against attacking. Viktor took his chance; his Ulamog's Crusher was only partway out of its card, with its head, shoulders, and an arm fully developed. Viktor lacked the mana to cast the rest of it, but he got an idea once he saw his injured Khalni Hydra nip at It That Betrays' arms.

"You've done enough, big guy," Viktor told the Hydra, and he held up its card in his other hand. While It That Betrays strained against its Cage of Hands prison and started to break it, Viktor recalled the Khalni Hydra to its card. The huge, green Hydra melted into vivid green mana that rushed back into the card like a horizontal waterfall, and Viktor's eyes widened as his mana reserves shot back up to a comfortable level. The Ulamog's Crusher resumed the casting process, and its other thick arm came out of the card, too.

"Too late! Kill everything!" Sigma shouted angrily, and his Little Clock Rocket gave It That Betrays the boost it needed to break through the Cage of Hands and resume the attack at high speed. Makoto frantically cast a Silverstorm Samurai to take the brunt of It That Betrays' Annihilator, with the fox samurai vanishing into clouds of ash. It That Betrays' hands swung to destroy the Simic Sky Swallower and its passengers, but its hands were blocked by those of Ulamog's Crusher.

"Yes! Just in time," Makoto cheered, and even Epsilon was in awe of the massive 8/8 Eldrazi that stood up to It That Betrays in order to protect its master. The creature stood on the ground right in front of It That Betrays, and instead of legs, a mass of smooth, thick tentacles sprouted from the Crusher's torso. The Eldrazi's torso was man-like except that it was hairless and had subdued gray and purple tones, and its face was like a featureless skull mask. The Crushers' humanoid hands gripped It That Betrays' arms, stopping its attack cold.

"That won't save you forever! Raaaaah!" Sigma shouted in anger, and Viktor watched him display a new power: shooting bright purple fire streams from his hands, not unlike those that Beta used to employ. The fire raged toward the Crusher's head, until Epsilon leaped into action. He threw his plant warriors into the fire's path and used his Freezing Attack Level 2 on the fire to blunt its damage to the plants.

"I didn't even know you could use the Freezing Attack that way," Viktor commented.

"Yes! It's an innovation of my own. Now hurry!" Epsilon cried as Sigma intensified his fire stream. "I can't keep him for long."

Viktor and Makoto took their cue. With an Indomitable Will and Oakenform enhancing Viktor's Ulamog's Crusher, It That Betrays was the one in trouble now. Ulamog's Crusher was encased in armor-like wood, making up for the power/toughness deficit between itself and It That Betrays. Fueled further by Makoto's Indomitable Will, the Crusher lurched forward for the attack. It swept an arm for Annihilator 2, and for the first time Viktor was glad to see that horrific power in effect. It That Betrays rumbled in defiance and raised its multiple arms to cover its face, but its forearms were starting to get dissolved by the Crusher's Annihilator. Determined not to lose the advantage, Sigma called off his purple fire and cast a Little Clock Slug to slow down the Crusher and give It That Betrays a chance to hit back.

Viktor was ready for this. "Cancel!" he shouted, and his blue spell fizzled out the Little Clock Slug right in Sigma's hand. However, Sigma used up another bottled counter-spell in his arm attachment, and the Little Clock Slug crept back into existence, with the Cancel's effect countered in turn. However, Sigma was not expecting Viktor to use Cancel again, and his second cancel vaporized Sigma's bottled counter, which allowed the first Cancel to go into effect, and stop the Little Clock Slug for good.

"Get them, Crusher!" Viktor shouted at his Eldrazi, and the Crusher rumbled its acknowledgement and hunger, rushing forward to attack again. The Crusher's Annihilator 2 went into effect again, but It That Betrays had counterattacked at the same time, and both Eldrazis' Annihilator powers clashed in midair, forming a thick screen of dark gray mana that seethed with intense heat. Within seconds, however, the cloud vanished, and It That Betrays lunged forth and punched the Crusher on its torso with two arms, sending the Crusher staggering back. The Crusher's armor had been destroyed where the fists had hit, but the Crusher's body was unharmed, protected by the Oakenform armor.

At Viktor's further encouragement, the Crusher rumbled its anger and charged again, swinging its fist and catching It That Betrays with a mighty blow. The 11/11 Eldrazi's head was snapped to the side, and one of its horns was broken off. Sigma swayed from the force on top of It That Betrays' head, having difficulty keeping balance. The Crusher turned to look over it s shoulder at Viktor with its featureless face, and Viktor nodded. The Crusher moved to finish off It That Betrays, with Simic Sky Swallower moving forward to assist its Eldrazi friend.

"Man. You ought to call it 'Viktor's Crusher'," Makoto joked, watching Ulamog's Crusher take orders from relatively tiny Viktor. Viktor laughed, shaking his head. "Let's just hope that it doesn't turn against us; it's a trigger-happy creature, after all; it has to attack with every chance it gets. That's the downside to being an 8/8 Annihilator 2 for only 8 colorless mana."

"I guess you're right," Makoto had to agree, turning to witness the huge-creature brawl. "Mind if I have some input? I've got to help out, too."

"I'll be in reserve in case anything happens," Epsilon added. "Sigma is a man of many tricks."

"Do it," Viktor encouraged Makoto. "And yes, we all have to watch out. I bet Sigma still has more powers ready to use; maybe even an enhanced Clock attack. Those are _Little _Clock Rocket and _Little _Clock Slug. Think there's a bigger clock waiting for us?"

"Gonna risk it," Makoto said, and he held up a new card. "Yosei, the Morning Star!"

Viktor was impressed by the enormous white Dragon Spirit that erupted from the card, its serpentine body coiling in the sky to save room. Since Yosei was cast here on Zendikar instead of Kamigawa, there would be no legendary creature conflict; there was already a Yosei guarding what remained of Eiganjo Castle, but here there was no problem. The 5/5 flying dragon roared its rage and bloodlust, and its almost ethereal body seeming to glow. At Makoto's command, Yosei charged into the fray to assist the Simic Sky Swallower and Ulamog's Crusher.

It That Betrays couldn't handle the three-pronged attack. The Sky Swallower head-butted the 11/11 Eldrazi, its teeth and sheer bulk driving back its target. Then, Ulamog's Crusher swung both of its arms, forcing It That Betrays to block with its own arms, and its torso started to dissolve from the Crusher's Annihilator 2. Then, Yosei took advantage of this opening and charged at It That Betrays' exposed chest, closing its jaws around the Eldrazi's chest.

"Damn you all! Damn you all, foul creatures!" Sigma roared his rage, casting a Little Clock Slug to slow down the attackers. However, Viktor once again cast his Cancel to stop the Clock, and the three creatures all attacked again, all at the same time. The combined attack struck It That Betrays and destroyed it at last, the Eldrazi's defeated body crumbling to ashes and leaving Sigma with nothing to stand on. Sigma landed on the ground with a heavy thud, aware of the Simic Sky Swallower, Ulamog's Crusher, and Yosei, the Morning Star all above him.

"Spawnsires! All my minions! Get over here, would you? Let's return some fire!" Sigma called out, and both Spawnsire of Ulamogs dragged themselves forward, eager to assist their master. The mob of Eldrazi Drones also scurried forth, entering the battlefield from all sides and numbering in the hundreds. Viktor saw countless Emrakul's Hatchers, Kozilek's Predators, and Dread Drones swarming around the three card-creatures. He doubted that even those three could fend off all those Drones, both Spawnsires, and Sigma himself.

"Let's move on to the next stage, huh? Yeah!" Sigma cackled, rubbing his hands together and smiling widely as both of his Spawnsires lurched into position on either side of him. "Time to show you what I can _really _do! Ha, 'time' to tell you? Ah hahaha!"

Sigma once again placed his fists on his hips and started to dance in place, whistling his rapid and erratic tune. Viktor only stared down from his vantage point on the Simic Sky Swallower, and Epsilon had had enough. He brandished his ivory sword.

"Do not mock us, beast! Your giant Eldrazi pet is dead! Now you will follow!"

"Wait a second!" Viktor shouted at his hasty Hunter friend, but he was too late. All of Epsilon's plants joined their master on his descent, all of them headed for Sigma in the middle of the Eldrazi Drone crowd. Ulamog's Crusher, Yosei, and Simic Sky Swallower all backed up to make room, afraid to make a move of their own. Then, Sigma made his move: he looked up and stopped dancing, raising his arms wide to make a human T.

"Giant Clock Twister!" Sigma bellowed with glee, and at once, the whole world seemed to become distorted. A vast ghostly clock face appeared, over half a mile wide and big enough to encompass the entire battlefield and every creature in it. The usual _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK! _sound throbbed in Viktor's ears, but there was another issue: each hand on the clock face went opposite directions, passing each other as they spun. Viktor didn't know what to make of that; would this Giant Clock Twister slow down all time or speed it up? He backed away from the Simic Sky Swallower's haunch just to be sure, keeping himself from being exposed.

"Whoa! What…?" Viktor cried, his body suddenly feeling as though he moved underwater. Even his voice seemed to deepen and slow down, his words stretched out in the air like rubber. He quickly brought his hand up to his face, but his arm responded sluggishly, taking twice as much time to move as Viktor expected. He turned his head as fast as his sluggish body could handle, and Makoto was staring at him, backing away in slow-motion horror.

"Yooouuu'rrrreee moooovvvinnngg sllloooowwwwwllly!" Makoto's slow voice said in subdued shock, his eyes wide.

"Yoooooouuuu toooooooooo!" Viktor told him, alarmed by how his jaw moved slowly, his words only casually drifting through the air. He scrambled back to the edge of the Sky Swallower, and saw Epsilon falling toward Sigma in slow motion, his sword still held high for the attack. The plants were falling slowly as well, unable to help their master.

"Ah hahaha! Someone is slow on the uptake!" Sigma laughed, then raised his left arm at the descending Epsilon. "Let me drill some speed into you!"

Viktor watched, and took note that Sigma seemed to move even faster than normal, clearly benefiting from the Giant Clock Twister while he, Makoto, and Epsilon were slowed down by it. Sigma's arm attachment produced a new weapon: a giant drill that covered his hand and started to spin, making a high-pitched whirr. Epsilon was helpless against the attack, being unable to react in time. As soon as Epsilon was close, Sigma jumped up into the air and thrust his giant drill into Epsilon's gut, tearing into the renegade Hunter's gut.

_No! Epsilon! _Viktor raged in his head, frustrated that he couldn't help. Down near the ground, Epsilon's eyes widened as Sigma's drill gored him, and blood flew from his gaping mouth from the injury. Sigma withdrew the drill and mightily kicked him, sending Epsilon flying away and crashing into the side of the mountain in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Daaaaaaamn it!" Viktor cursed, and his Ulamog's Crusher picked up on his anger. Unable to keep itself from attacking, the Crusher lurched after Sigma, moving as slowly as its master. Sigma turned to see the 8/8 Eldrazi moving in for the kill, and jumped high into the air to counter it. Sigma's drill burrowed deep into the Crusher's featureless face, making it stagger back and cover its face with its hands, rumbling in agony. Not even Yosei, the Morning Star could help.

"Weeeeee've gooot toooo doooo sooomethiiiiiing!" Makoto frantically told Viktor as fast as the time warp effect would allow. Viktor was recalling the Crusher back into its card, hoping to recharge his mana reserves instead of squandering them in a doomed Eldrazi. He agreed with Makoto, but didn't have any cards to deal with the Giant Clock Twister, not even any blue cards with alternate effects. He searched his card stack, frustrated when he re-affirmed that he had nothing, and neither did Makoto. _I'd have to somehow change one of my cards into a Time Warp or something, but I can't… can I?_

Then, Viktor saw his Cytoshape card near the bottom of his card stack.

"You're next up there!" Sigma shouted up to Makoto and Viktor on the Simic Sky Swallower, but Viktor had already set to work. He held his Cytoshape and Twiddle cards together, pouring every ounce of his flared green-blue mana aura into the two cards. Sigma, meanwhile, jumped into the air, shooting upwards as though he had been launched from a cannon. He landed on the side of the mountain and then jumped again, getting even higher up and closer to the Simic Sky Swallower. The Leviathan drifted higher into the air to escape Sigma, but its slowness made sure that the speedy Hunter wouldn't be delayed for long.

"Whaaaaat aaaaaare yooooouuuuu…" Makoto started to ask Viktor, until he motioned for silence to concentrate. Viktor felt his limbs weakening and sweat running down his body from the effort, shocked by how much mana this process was taking. _All this to change one card! Well, it's a pretty big deal. Cards are all unique in their effects and whatnot, so changing them is… a serious effort!_ The Twiddle card was contorting, its surface graphics twisting into new shapes and colors from the glowing Cytoshape card. Blue organic plasma clung to the underside of the Twiddle.

"Watcha doing? Shouldn't you try to defend yourselves from me?" Sigma taunted them, landing on the opposite end of the Simic Sky Swallower and pointing with his drill hand. "Oh, that's right. You can't! Ah hahaha!"

Now Sigma put away the drill attachment and produced the sword extension, running down the length of the Sky Swallower's back with frightening speed. Just as he got close, however, Viktor held up his new card with every bit of his remaining strength that he could muster. "Time Warp!"

The mythic rare M10 card cost 1UU to give the user another turn, but Viktor had a different idea on how to use it. Sigma screeched to a halt, hardly believing what he was seeing, wearing a look of amazement on his face. The Giant Clock Twister on the ground slowed down, the two clock hands slowing to a halt and the world seemed to contort again. Viktor felt his body's movements speed up, and the thick feeling of slow-time vanished.

"You…! You ruined my Giant Clock Twister!" Sigma howled. "Again, you ruin my plans! Now you die for defying me!"

Sigma leaped at Viktor with all the speed he could muster, until a green-white form flashed into existence between the Hunter and Viktor. The shape resolved into Epsilon, who had used a fastwalk to get in the way in time. He held his ivory sword up to Sigma's neck.

"H-how did you get here? Your injuries…" Makoto sputtered. Then, both he and Viktor saw the light green plants that clung to Epsilon's chest, giving off puffs of bright blue pollen from their flowers as they worked.

"I am green-white at my core, after all," Epsilon explained, pointing at the plants. "I am still badly hurt, but this will delay my wounds' adverse effects long enough for me to finish the job. With your help, of course."

"Don't count on it!" Sigma raged, and his sword attachment came up to knock away Epsilon's ivory blade. The two Hunters engaged in a furious sword duel, clashing their blades with inhuman intensity. However, Epsilon found an opening in Sigma's guard and kicked him, sending him flying through the air. A Little Clock Slug made sure that Sigma fell slowly, to give him time to arrange a safe landing. That was just what Epsilon needed.

"Freezing Attack Level 3!" Epsilon shouted, and a huge bolt of blue-white mana shot out of his hand and struck the slowly-falling Sigma, encasing him. The blue-red Hunter froze in mid-air, unable to move or use any abilities from where he was. Epsilon sank to the surface of the Sky Swallower's back, gasping and panting.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Viktor cried, rushing to the Hunter's side.

"Y-yeah. I'll be all right," Epsilon wheezed, looking at the trapped Sigma with triumph. "I think you've seen this attack before, right?"

That was true; Viktor had defeated his first Hunter with this attack, when Jace had turned Gamma's own Freezing Attack Level 3 against him. Sigma would be trapped there for 24 hours, easy game.

"Then let's end it," Viktor said, and he commanded the Sky Swallower to lurch forward. Makoto's Yosei joined it, and they positioned themselves at opposite sides of the trapped Sigma. They both rushed at him, intending to crush him between their bodies and jaws.

"Till next time!" Sigma shouted, and then both the Sky Swallower and Yosei collided with Sigma, destroying him. He exploded in a rush of blue-red mana, and shards of it flew everywhere like a firework. More importantly, Viktor saw the tiny green form of Sigma's forehead emerald flying through the air, as though in slow motion. He was just about to cast a Fighting Drake to go retrieve it when a tiny purple-black portal opened in the sky, near the emerald.

"Wh-what?" Viktor sputtered, not expecting this. He could do nothing but watch as a black Bug creature buzzed out of the portal and seized the forehead emerald in its legs, then flew back through the portal with its prize. The portal closed behind it.

Viktor lowered the Simic Sky Swallower to the ground, and the assembled Eldrazi all scattered and departed, now that their master was gone; they'd rather terrorize the rest of Zendikar than pick on two kids and a Hunter. All the card-creatures were unsummoned, and Viktor and Makoto helped Epsilon to his feet.

"Well, Sigma is gone. That was the best we could do," the Hunter grinned in spite of the loss of the forehead emerald. "Just Alpha and Elena left to go, now. I can't wait to see the look on Elena's face when we destroy her and her dreams of domination."

Viktor nodded. "Neither can I."


	33. Chapter 33

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 33

Viktor was quite alarmed. As he hurried down the sunlit halls of Castle Haraven on Bant, the sounds of argument and protest filled the hallway and encouraged him to hurry.

After defeating Sigma and Rho, he and his friends had been encouraged to warp back to Bant and rest for a few hours before storming Elena's temporary base of operations on Jund. Jace's extensive spy network had revealed Elena, the Hunter Alpha, and a sleepy Nicol Bolas all camping out on the edge of Jund, near the incomplete Maelstrom. In fact, outside of the castle's windows, Viktor could see the tip of Bant colliding with Grixis, producing a black-and-white mini-Maelstrom. He and the others had rested for several hours here in the castle, and now Viktor was assembling his friends to get back to Dominaria to join the Planeswalkers and Epsilon's Azorius army for the final battle.

"I'm telling you to stop that!" Ashley's voice insisted wildly from her room down the hall, chilling Viktor to the bone. "You really shouldn't… come on!"

_What's happening to my friend? _Viktor thought in horror, all kinds of grisly scenarios playing out in his head. Everyone was quartered separately here in the Castle, and a tired card-wielding kid would make a good target for one of Elena's minions. _Don't tell me there's new Hunters!_

Ashley's voice piped up again: "Just cooperate with me, okay? We don't have to do this the hard way… please?"

Kelly, Makoto, and Devin were all waiting at the front gate of Castle Haraven, waiting while Viktor went to go retrieve Ashley, and now Viktor hoped that he wasn't too late. At last, he reached the closed wooden door of Ashley's room, and he swung it open as fast as he could. "Ashley!" he cried.

Then, Viktor turned and saw Ashley sitting on her bed, with what looked like Gerbie on her lap. She looked up at Viktor. "Oh, hi!" she greeted him happily. "Sorry if I've been taking too long. Did I delay anyone? Gerbie's not very cooperative…"

"But what's going…" Viktor started, feeling the adrenaline sinking away. His mana aura was fully recharged, and he felt capable of casting both Simic Sky Swallower and Ulamog's Crusher at moment's notice. With the risks of casting Thorn elemental, those two creatures were his main warriors right now. But here, there was no need for powerful Simic Leviathans or Eldrazi. As it turned out, Ashley had gotten her hands on a bunch of tailor's cloth and lace, and had dressed Gerbie up.

"Gerbil… clothing?" Viktor commented faintly, feeling that the scene was super-anti-climatic, although at least everyone was safe.

"Clothing? This straightjacket ain't any kind of proper clothing I've ever seen!" the Simic gerbil argued loudly, and Viktor had to suppress a laugh. Gerbie's face was outlined with white lace, and the rest of his body was covered in soft cloth and careful tailoring, like a multi-colored gerbil dress suit. Viktor had heard of people putting clothing on their cats or dogs, but Gerbie was another matter!

Ashley held up Gerbie in both hands, pressing him against her bosom. "Look! Isn't he so cute?" she glowed.

"Graaaaah! Release me, beast!" Gerbie cried, squirming in Ashley's grip. His voice had an appropriate rodent squeaky quality to it. "Stop it! I am a dignified product of…"

"Oh, hush," Ashley told him, now snuggling him against her cheek. "You know you like this."

"Even worse, people are seeing me in my moment of shame!" Gerbie protested, aware of Viktor's amused stare. "I am ruined!"

Viktor laughed, making sure that it didn't sound mocking. "Relax, Gerbie," he told the Simic pet. "Ashley's just showing how much she likes her pet."

"B-b-but…" Gerbie stuttered, stopping his squirming. He rested limply in Ashley's hands. "Is that for real?"

"I just wanted to have some fun. I had this idea a while ago," Ashley explained to Gerbie, setting him down on her lap. "But only just now did I find where all the tailoring materials are in this Castle."

"And put it all on me while I was asleep!" Gerbie added accusingly. "We both went to sleep and I bet you woke up right after that to do this to me!"

Ashley shook her head. "We slept for hours. I've only been up for the past half hour. Come on, Gerbie, this just shows that I like you! We slept together soundly, too. You sure like the pillow on the bed."

"Well, yeah…" Gerbie hesitated, then Ashley took the gerbil clothing off of him. Liberated, Gerbie pounced up onto Ashley and clung to her shirt, then climbed onto her shoulder, nibbling gently at her earlobe. "Okay, _now _I like you again, Ashley. You're the only master I'll accept. Though no more clothing?"

"Promise," Ashley giggled from the ticklish feeling of Gerbie's nibbling. "I love you too, Gerbie."

"Ugh. Spare me, man," Ike complained in his teenager-like drawl, poking out of Viktor's own pocket and yawning. "Are you _seeing_ this, Vik? So uncool."

"Yes, yes," Viktor said hastily, pushing Ike back into his pocket. "Just chill. Now we're going after Elena for real. This is our last stand."

"Yeah. Let's get some real action," Ike agreed enthusiastically from within the pocket, then fell asleep. Viktor and Ashley both departed the room with their gerbils and headed down the hallway towards the front gates of Castle Haraven. Ashley spoke up, but looked away rather shyly.

"I heard that your battle was a really close one," Ashley mumbled. "Kelly was really worried, you know."

"Well, I'm sorry if I worried her. But I came back okay, didn't I?" Viktor smiled. "Kelly told me how you and her and Devin defeated Rho. Really impressive, and that was without Epsilon's help."

Ashley nodded, going a light shade of red. "She hoped that you'd be impressed. Sometimes she wonders whether you pay that much attention to her or not."

Viktor's stomach lurched. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

Ashley made nervous laugh. "She's my sister, you know, and I can read her as well as she can read me. And I know that you and her are a little different from the rest of us."

"In what way?" Viktor asked, even though he knew what Ashley was on to. "We're all just friends who play a card game. Been that way for months, right?"

"It was just us four for a while, until you moved here from Bulgaria," Ashley smiled. "But not long after you arrived, Kelly seemed to act a little differently. And through this whole experience in the Multiverse, we've all been drawn together by danger, but you and Kelly especially."

"Naw, it's not like that," Viktor dismissed the idea with a grin, but he conceded. "Y-yeah. Kelly's been by my side through all of this, like all you guys, but her... I, um..." Viktor fumbled with his words, feeling lost. Usually, he felt in-control and courageous, in the face of deadly Hunters like the fire-slinging Beta or the time-warping Sigma, but when he talked about his feelings about Kelly to others, he was smaller than ever. But that didn't mean he was upset. He just needed...

"She really likes you know, Viktor," Ashley smiled knowingly, and he jumped. Viktor was very glad that the hallway was empty, and that King Teramont's men were elsewhere. "She's always telling me how much you make her feel strong, how happy and comfortable she is when you're around. Now, isn't that why you visited us in our apartment a while back? Remember that?"

"Oh, yeah," Viktor recalled, his stomach lurching as he remembered how he and Kelly had spent their time while Ashley and Gerbie were in the next room. They had almost...

"Do _you _like her, Viktor?" Ashley asked bashfully, being embarrassed on her sister's behalf. "I know that you and Kelly almost kissed when you visited us. I only feigned ignorance."

"You got me there," Viktor winced with a grin. "Yes, I really like her." He widened it into a smile. "American girls are very nice, you and Kelly especially. And you share a geeky hobby with me! Even better."

"You know it," Ashley playfully punched his arm. "You haven't seemed to talk to Kelly much recently, though. Been busy?"

"Against that swarm of Hunters? Indeed," Viktor agreed. "I've been meaning to have a moment with Kelly, but all of us have been too wrapped up in saving the Multiverse and all. But I promise you, when this whole battle is over and we can all go back home, Kelly and I are going to spend some time. Together, I mean. I can show her that I _really _care."

Ashley started to respond, but both she and Viktor nearly jumped out of their skin when both Ike and Gerbie made loud cat-call whistles. "Someone got the hook-up!" Gerbie said with glee, and Ike added, "Du-ude! You're gonna get some action, huh?"

"Shut up, you furry creeps!" Viktor roared, and Ashley had to hide her giggling fit behind her hand. He calmed down. "S-sorry if I worded that wrong! I meant, Kelly and I can spend time together as more than friends. Maybe I can ask her out."

"Take her to the Ghost Quarter! Women love it there!" Gerbie shouted in his squeaky gerbil voice, and both Ashley and Viktor firmly denied that option.

"Man, you should totally take her to a restaurant," Ike piped up.

Viktor shook his head. "Too ordinary."

"Maybe the Scars of Mirrodin pre-release?" a very familiar voice added, and Viktor realized that it was Kelly's voice. She had come after him and Ashley to see what the hold-up was.

"H-how much of that did you hear?" Viktor cried, suddenly wishing he could cast Path to Exile on himself at this moment.

Kelly shrugged with a broadening smile. "Around the point of 'someone got the hook-up'. Was that Gerbie?"

_Argh, why did she have to hear that? _Viktor groaned in his head, but he hid his anguish. "Yeah, that was Gerbie. Look, I apologize if we've kept everyone waiting. The Planeswalkers are all waiting for us on Dominaria right now, aren't they?"

Kelly nodded, leading Viktor and Ashley down the corridor. "They're waiting for us, indeed." she looked over her shoulder. "And Viktor?"

He gulped. "Yes?"

Kelly winked. "I also heard that you'd like to spend some more time, huh? I'll look forward to that. I haven't had much chance here in the Multiverse to be with you alone, but when we're back on Earth for good, I think we can do some catching up."

Viktor nodded, feeling elated. "Absolutely."

*o*o*o*o*

"It has begun," Alpha informed Elena, after examining his pool of scry-water. He stood to his full height on this precipice of Jund, and saw the black-white Maelstrom raging behind Elena "The children are moving to Dominaria to join the Planeswalker ranks, and Epsilon and his army are present as well. This is our final stand, My Lady."

"And that means things are about to get fun," Elena smiled mischievously. Nicol Bolas' loud, dry snores rumbled in the background as the dying Elder Dragon slept, curled up like a gigantic scaly cat. "I will assemble all the Enslaved forces I can spare, including whichever Eldrazi are available... it's too bad that my Reaper King was killed on Kamigawa! It is a shame that I lack the power to Enslave Ulamog, Kozilek, and Emrakul themselves, but they are too powerful for now. Perhaps when I have achieved victory and have all the time in the world, they too will learn to call me master."

"I eagerly await that day," Alpha agreed coldly. He extended his open palm, showing Elena a pair of forehead emeralds there: those of the fallen Rho and Sigma. "What do you intend with these?"

Elena folded Alpha's fingers over the emeralds. "Wait first," she ordered him gently. "If the need strikes, then absorb them. I cannot say what will happen if you absorb two emeralds, Alpha. Maybe even your death? I will trust you to do the right thing. You're my most powerful creation. I know you won't disappoint me."

"I will certainly not," Alpha confirmed, stashing the emeralds in his pockets. "I presume that we have countermeasures in place against the power of the combined Key Creatures? Wielded correctly, those five creatures combined will spell our certain doom."

Elena laughed. "Do not worry," she told her prime Hunter. "I have a plan to break the morale of those children and their card-born creatures. Or else, I can slay them and the Planeswalkers before the Key Creatures are wielded properly against me with various methods I have thought up. I am ashamed that you Hunters failed to assemble the Key Creatures before me, but you, Alpha, will atone for your lesser siblings' shortcomings. Now, prepare. They are coming."

Alpha nodded and turned his back to Elena and the Maelstrom, sitting cross-legged on the rock and dirt ground to meditate. "Of course, My Lady."


	34. Chapter 34

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 34

Viktor figured that only Chandra Nalaar would be the fiery, impatient type among the Planswalkers, but he was in for a surprise as soon as his party exited the Castle and strode across the front grounds.

"Do you test our patience, child?" Nissa Revane scolded him as he came close to the elf Planeswalker, hands in his pockets. Nissa had apparently arrived on Bant on her own, as an envoy to greet Viktor's party before they warped to Jund to confront Elena.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Viktor sputtered, not expecting this welcome. He and his friends couldn't teleport in or out of the Castle because of its protective magic, so they had to teleport outside.

Nissa held her staff in one hand and jabbed a thin finger into Viktor's chest. "The storm gathers, child, and you are dawdling? Do you know how long ago I would have perished if not for my alertness and swiftness? Try living on Zendikar for a while. Then you'd know."

"I'm sorry, Nissa, we're ready right now," Ashley placated the elf Planeswalker. "Really. Is everyone else already on Dominaria?"

Nissa cooled down a bit, turning her back and starting to walk away. "Yes, and they await us," she said. "Epsilon brought his Azorius army at our command, and his troops will be quite an asset against the Defiled One's Enslaved army."

Viktor couldn't help asking. "Do you trust Epsilon and his intentions, Nissa?"

The elf stopped, her long ears twitching at the question. "I do not believe that I will consider him a friend," she said without turning around. "I would not want him as a expedition companion in the wilds of Zendikar, but my fellow Planeswalkers demand my cooperation with him. However, I do trust you five children to lend us your power and make victory possible. That said, follow me to Dominaria. Now."

Nissa walked forward again, vanishing from sight as she Planeswalked to Dominaria. Seeing that there was nothing else for it, Viktor took out his Thorn Elemental card and offered it to his four friends, and they touched their Key Creature cards to his. In short order, they found themselves on a plain on Dominaria, where hundreds of Planeswalkers and thousands of Epsilon's Azorius troops waited for them. When they were ready, the massive party warped as one to Jund.

*o*o*o*o*

At least one person enjoyed the setting for the Multiverse's most decisive battle: Chandra.

"I forgot how much I _love _this place," the fiery woman grinned wildly, leaping from the ground and onto the jagged slope of a smoldering volcano. All around, the air was thick with hot volcanic ash and the rot of the jungle, and the sky was also dull red and black from volcanic activity. Chandra scurried further up the volcanic slope, and yelped in surprise and delight when a sudden gush of hot magma burst from the rock and nearly fried her. She laughed and rode the outburst, flipping through the air and landing on the rock slope, scurrying around with wild abandon.

Viktor was part of a very large group, and he knew that pretty everyone else was just as annoyed as he was.

"Chandra, get your worthless hide back here! We can't waste any more time," Sarkhan Vol shouted up at her, his eyes blazing with irritation. Viktor was aware that Sarkhan was corrupted by Nicol Bolas' power in Zendikar under normal circumstances, but Elena's presence altered many of the things he knew about the Magic world. _We're here to help set things straight!_

"But I can scout from up here!" Chandra shouted down to the mob of Planeswalkers, with flames starting to creep up her skin as she got more excited about being on Jund. "Right? I can find where the Defiled One and her armies are and give us an advantage."

It was easy to see the general direction of where Elena would be, at least. Far ahead and high in the sky, the black-white Maelstrom raged as Grixis and Bant collided with each other, and Viktor could see Esper and Naya hanging back like spectators. Without a doubt, the Planeswalkers would only need to go forward to reach the tip of Jund, where Elena would be. Still, Chandra's offer stood, and Jace, who acted as the leader of the group, consented.

"Very well. But take this with you," Jace called up to Chandra, and he tossed her his petite Homunculus servant. Chandra caught it, and promptly hugged it like a small child.

"What a nice little pet you are!" Chandra literally glowed, her skin's flames glowing brighter. She looked down at Jace. "Can I keep him? Say that I can keep him!"

"You may not," Jace countered, and Chandra's hair surged with flame in her defiant rage. Luckily, the Homunculus' barrier protected it from Chandra's hot fire, but the small blue being squinted its eyes in disapproval of the woman who held it. "Use its detection magic for scouting purposes, and report back when you are done. This group will advance slowly, in order to get closer to our goal but not draw too much attention to ourselves."

"Good enough," Chandra relented. "I didn't like being trapped in a cave on Zendikar with that ridiculous Sigma Hunter watching over me. You have my thanks, Viktor and Makoto, for helping me."

"Nothing to it," Viktor shouted up.

"She does not thank me. But then again, I am a Hunter, too," Epsilon muttered, fiddling with the handle of his sheathed ivory sword. "Jace. Will we advance now?"

"Correct. Follow, everyone," Jace told the massive group, and Chandra darted on ahead as the Planeswalker troop advanced. Viktor recognized almost every Planeswalker from the cards in this group, from Ajani to Tezzeret to Garruk to Gideon Jura. There were many others he didn't recognize, however, such as a young Oriental woman who clearly hailed from Kamigawa. That Planeswalker was garbed in blue-green robes, and had a long, silvery bone sticking through her hair bun. She carried herself regally, her eyes closed and her mouth drawn in a slight smile as she walked astride the other Planeswalkers.

"She is Kiyoko Michuda, the grand-daughter of a famed mage who fought against the Kami on Kamigawa," Elspeth explained to Viktor when he asked. "Her grandfather angered many of the Kami as he led the samurai to countless victories against them, so the Kami tried to take his granddaughter's life in revenge. He was there to defend her, but was mortally wounded in the process. Just as the Kami were about to devour her, Kiyoko's Planeswalker spark activated and she slew every Kami in the room."

"That's... really cool," Viktor had to admit, and Elspeth smiled slightly at his enthusiasm. "Yes. I've never been to Kamigawa before, but Kiyoko has visited Bant and I found her to be quite a pleasant person to know. It's too bad she hasn't chosen to adopt Bant as her new home, however. She has been offered a position among the archmages under King Teramont, but she always politely refuses. She sometimes stops by, however, to visit."

"What's that bone in her hair?" Viktor asked, unable to resist asking.

"The bone of a shape-shifting Kami," Elspeth answered. "One of the Kami that attacked her had assumed the form of her grandfather, but as soon as her spark activated she was able to see through its deception. The Kami had tried to tear out Kiyoko's heart, but she broke its arm and removed its bone. Then, after the battle, Kiyoko found that her real grandfather's arm had been crushed, and she had healed it with her magic. She kept the Kami's arm bone to remind her of her ferocity toward her enemies and her kindness toward her friends."

"That's so touching," Ashley glowed, clasping a hand to her heart. "I didn't know you had such a great friend, Elspeth."

_Hell, a few months ago I di__dn't even know Elspeth was a real person! _Viktor thought, but he kept that thought to himself. Gerbie, meanwhile, poked out again to contribute to the conversation. "Hey, Devin."

"What?" he asked nervously.

Gerbie motioned toward Kiyoko. "You didn't have much chance with Rho back on Dominaria, but that girl..." he started, until Ashley silenced him.

"Now's not the time. Devin's not interested in that kind of thing," she sternly told the Simic gerbil pet, then turned to Devin. "Right?"

Devin had been ogling at Kiyoko, until he snapped his attention back at Ashley. "O-of course not! I was, well... nothing," he shrugged with his only arm, making Ashley purse her lips and put her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"He's never gonna score," Ike commented, emerging from Viktor's own pocket. "I'm telling you, man."

"Give him a chance, would you?" Viktor encouraged his pet, pushing Ike back into his pocket. "Get back to sleep."

"Sure. Wake me when the Multiverse is safe again," Ike requested, then fell into slumber. That gave Viktor an idea.

"Hey, Ash," he asked Ashley, moving over to her.

"Huh?" she responded.

"Our cards don't work on Earth, but our Simic gerbils can live there, right?" he said. "So, when this is all over, and we're done with the Multiverse... are we going to keep Gerbie and Ike on Earth?"

"I, well... of course!" Ashley smiled. "We'll just have to keep the talking-gerbil part a secret from our families, but I don't want to go without Gerbie. He can be my little reminder of the Multiverse."

"You know it, babe," Gerbie said with a cool-guy attitude, prompting her to zip up her Gerbie pocket except for one little air hole. Viktor allowed himself a grin, but couldn't get distracted from the importance of what was going on. Any second now, a horde of Enslaved creatures could show up, causing calamity. No doubt that Elena would react violently to this intrusion. Something else was on Viktor's mind – there was one Planeswalker conspicuously absent from this assembly.

"Elspeth," he asked her, "I know Nicol Bolas isn't exactly you guys' best friend, but doesn't he want to take Elena down, too? Why hasn't he at least contacted us?"

Elspeth frowned. "It's not easy to say," she admitted. "Nicol Bolas is far older, wiser, and more powerful than any of us, Viktor. Still, I agree that he would at least send us envoys stating his intentions, but the last I knew was that Bolas retreated to Grixis. I know not why Bant and Grixis are colliding and the other Shards are staying back, though. Could it be related to Bolas?"

Viktor knew that Nicol Bolas wouldn't let on about his plan with the Maelstrom, but he already knew about it from the story excerpts he had read on Earth. He relayed them to Elspeth, and understanding dawned on her face.

"He wants to re-energize from a five-Shard Maelstrom, but the Defiled One is holding it back as blackmail for his cooperation?" Elspeth summarized. "And Bolas is nearly powerless for now due to his starvation of mana? This is more dire than I expected! Who knows how this will affect the outcome of our endeavor?"

Not surprisingly, Jace was quick to pounce on the news, finding his way to Elspeth and Viktor. "Bolas is most likely to take our side as long as Elena lives, and only that long," he offered. "He'll act out of self-interest, of course."

"Is Elena just going to keep Bolas that way?" Viktor frowned. "Or give him his complete Maelstrom if he promises to fight for her?"

"No such thing. Bolas will turn on her instantly if she gave him his power source," Jace shook his head. "He shows no gratitude or loyalty to anyone. Expect him to be a temporary ally if such a thing happens, and then an extreme danger right after that. If the Defiled One never completes the Maelstrom, we will just have to play it by ear."

"Yeah, okay," Viktor conceded. "Dragons don't change their scales, huh?"

Elspeth smiled in mirth. "No, good child. We will depend on you and the others for your Key Creatures to help see us through. Are your cards prepared?"

Viktor and the other four checked and confirmed that they were in good shape. In fact, they were glowing. Thorn Elemental pulsated bright green, Kuro, Pitlord was dark purple, Ryusei, the Falling Star was cherry red like a sword out of a forge, Isperia the Inscrutable was sky blue, and Konda, lord of Eiganjo was bright white.

"Whoa! Glow-in-the-dark cards!" Devin said gleefully, earning him a hit on the head from Kelly.

"No, Devin," she argued, eying her glowing Kuro, Pitlord card. "I think that the Key Creature cards and reacting to the Planeswalkers' combined presence. This proves that the Key Creatures are going to work with the Planeswalkers to bring about Elena's downfall."

"Agreed. We're going to need these," Jace said, snatching Kelly's card out of her hands to examine, making her yelp in surprise. Jace's sharp, deep eyes looked over the glowing card and then he handed it back to a reproachful Kelly. "When the time is right, we'll combine our power and execute the plan we've already outlined. Not before. Alpha and the Enslaved horde will be waiting for us, but Epsilon's troops will handle that army. Along with any Planeswalkers who volunteer."

Viktor saw thousands of Epsilon's Azorius troopers struggling through the tar pits, rock slides, and steamy jungles of Jund and hoped that they were up to the task. _Well, at least Epsilon says they can handle it. I'll just have to trust him to get the job done._

The Maelstrom drew closer, and Viktor could hear the humming and crackling of Bant's white mana and Grixis' black mana clashing and mixing, and the hairs on his arms started to rise as though a charged balloon was held over them. He nudged the others, and they agreed – they were close to the heart of the storm now. Devin tried to say that it was the eye of the storm, but Kelly rebuked that.

"The eye of a hurricane is the calmest part, even though it's in the center," she explained patiently. "People are wrong when they use that term to refer to the most dangerous or chaotic part of a situation. At least, I think so. Heart of the storm."

"Or belly of the beast," Ashley added cheerily. "I like that one, too."

Gerbie emerged again. "The belly of this beast is hungry!" he complained. "Food now?"

"When we're done, okay? No pit stops on Jund," Ashley told her gerbil, who sank back into his pocket shelter, grumbling about lack of commodities on the most savage of the Shards of Alara.

The very air seemed harder to breathe to Viktor, as though it had become thicker... or charged with bizarre mana. He took a deeper breath, filling his lungs with hot, humid Jund air fevered with Maelstrom mana. _Not much longer! _He warned himself. Then, he looked up and saw a flicker of red darting along a mountain range that separated the Planeswalker troop from the Maelstrom, and he recognized it as Chandra coming back from her scouting. She surfed toward the Planeswalkers on a gout of self-created fire and landed, still holding Jace's Homunculus like a small child.

"I found her," Chandra reported breathlessly, her chest heaving and fire restless. She adjusted the goggles on her forehead. "I found her! The Defiled One is on the very tip of Jund, right on the precipice overlooking the Maelstrom! She's got Nicol Bolas with her too, who's fast asleep and looks very worn out. The Hunter Alpha is with her too, just standing guard. Nothing else of interest was there, except for a small scrying pool that was near Alpha's feet. The Homunculus didn't detect anything else, no enchantments or traps."

Jace nodded, and the nearby Planeswalkers heard it too. Jace wiggled his left hand's fingers in a complex pattern, and then his hand glowed bright blue for just a second. "I told the other Planeswalkers the news," he said. "We're all getting ready." He extended his arm. "Now, give back my Homunculus, Chandra."

Once again, Chandra held the Homunculus close to her like a dear firstborn, shielding it from Jace. "No! He's mine! I want him," the pyromancer bit back.

Jace breathed out hard through his nose, losing patience. "Give it _back, _Chandra. I use him in combat. You don't."

"But..." Chandra argued weakly, loosening her grip. Jace took back the Homunculus, which looked back at Chandra and stuck its tongue out at her.

Viktor was amazed by the emptiness of what was waiting for him: just a flat expanse of sun-baked dirt strewn with small rocks, without even any trees. This areas was visible at the top of the mountain range, but from here Viktor could see that the battle ground was pointed, almost shaped like a wedge because this was the very tip of Jund. More importantly, the Maelstrom raged huge in the sky, like a sun that had fallen into orbit. Even more important than that, Viktor could see the gigantic form of the slumbering Nicol Bolas far below, and Elena and Alpha standing not foo far from him. His stomach tightened. _This is it! Now we take back the Multiverse's freedom. _He could hear the other Planeswalkers prepare for battle, and heard Epsilon bark orders to his Azorius troops to prepare them.

And then the Planeswalker-Azorius trooper army poured down the other side of the mountain and began the battle.


	35. Chapter 35

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 35

Elena knew that the Planeswalkers and Azorius troops were present on Jund from the very moment they touched the ground. As Elena watched the black-white Maelstrom pulse and throb brightly in the sky, she reflected on the numerous spirits and birds that she had sent high into the air to circle around Jund and scan for any intruders. Of course, no one would be able to detect the enchanted scouts unless they knew to search in the air, and not even Jace had thought to look there. Thus, she had the advantage in defending her temporary base of operations. She turned and watched the combined army pour down the mountains toward her.

*o*o*o*o*

"Let's start with a good one," Viktor muttered to himself, pulling his Simic Sky Swallower card out of his card stack and preparing to cast it. He usually rode on the beast's back while fighting, from the volcano battle against Beta all the way up to Sigma on Zendikar. He saw Kelly, Ashley, Devin, and Makoto prepare their cards too, and Epsilon drew his ivory sword and shouted a rallying cry to his men. All the other Azorius troops drew their swords, pikes, and lances at once, making a deafening combined sound of rasping steel as the men all shouted their courage. The Planeswalkers all prepared their various spells as well, from Ajani enchanting his double-ax with a fiery spell to Gideon Jura raising his whip-like weapon to a ready position.

Then the combined army reached the mountain base and plowed into a towering ethereal wall that appeared out of nowhere.

Viktor crashed into the wall along with everyone else, and their combined momentum that many of the Azorius troops and Planeswalkers piled on top of each other in confusing heaps of bodies. Viktor and his friends were nearly crushed to death under Planeswalkers, with only Ashley's Withstand protecting them. Grunting under the pressure, Viktor twisted to see what was going on, and saw the blue-white energy shield wall shimmering in place, stopping the attack dead.

"Hey! Why'd we stop?" Devin cried while being squished under Makoto.

"Elena raised a barrier to stop us. She knew we were coming!" Kelly growled angrily, clenching her fists. "We underestimated her once again."

"But didn't Jace's Homunculus scan the area and say that it was clean?" Ashley argued, sounding confused and afraid. "Jace is smart. He'd make his Homunculus able to detect stuff like this."

"One way or another, Elena's got the upper hand," Viktor snapped, trying to shift in place for comfort. "Right now, I just want everyone off me!"

It took some time for the assembled Planeswalkers and Azorius troops to get off each other and stand on the mountain slope, facing the stubborn shield wall that blocked them from Elena. Even more frustrating was the fact that Elena herself approached the barrier wall, standing only feet away from Viktor on the other side. Utter glee rested on her face.

"Too bad, children!" she boasted, pointing at Viktor and the others. She tossed her black hair, malice in her fiery eyes. "Looks like I win again, doesn't it? The Multiverse is mine, and your meager army cannot stop me! I can lower this barrier, if you want, but it means fighting against my army!"

"Are you offering us a deal?" Viktor asked.

"Why, yes!" Elena nodded and smiling wickedly, looking right at him. "Either leave me in peace and live, or set foot on my territory and die at the hands of my Enslaved army!"

"We've trashed your guys before," Devin told her defiantly, his hands tight fists. "Remember the battle on Kamigawa, by Eiganjo Castle? You even lost when you had the Reaper King and Eldrazi on your side!"

Elena laughed again. "I warn you, dear child, my army is nothing like it was when you last saw it! I have incorporated many new species into my ranks, including the dreaded Phyrexians! They have such a lovely home Plane. Their Father of Machines, Yawgmoth, is absent. Now... they will have a _mother_."

"Beast!" Ajani yowled angrily, his canines flashing in the air. His ears flattened against his skull, and he brandished his double-ended ax. "Lower this barrier so we may destroy you!"

"Poor kitty is anxious as ever," Elena taunted him, her eyes flashing malice as she raised a fist to eye level. "Listen well, Planeswalkers! The Multiverse is mine no matter what you choose to do! I'll lower this barrier for you, but you'll then get a chance to see my improved Enslaved army right and then die. Or, you may leave in peace as I complete my mission, thus extending your lives a little bit. Well?"

Elena put her hands on her hips and tilted her head expectantly, giving everyone a patient look. Viktor ground his teeth as he stared at his mortal enemy, who was so close to him. Viktor hadn't seen her in person for some time. Her clothing, if it could be called that, was slick and black and seemed to integrate to her skin and act like armor. Her skin was tinted green, giving her a sickly, witch-like appearance and her black hair fell a little past her shoulders in slightly curly locks. Her eyes glowed a soft red from the intense, defiled magic power in her, and her lips were a dark purple hue.

Epsilon spared everyone the waiting. He clanked forward in his robe-like armor and swished his ivory sword forward, pointing its blade right at Elena. "The day you die is the day the Multiverse will rejoice, from the highest heavens to the deepest hells!" he declared in a thundering voice.

"Well!" Elena chuckled, raising a few fingers to her lips as she smiled, hearing her former servant's threatening words. "Aren't we feeling angry, Epsilon? I take that as a 'no' on the offer to retreat, then? You're such a bad child, joining the Planeswalkers and defying me. You could have achieved greatness with Alpha and I, but now you will perish with them instead!"

Epsilon snarled and shifted angrily into a combat stance, as though to take Elena apart. Following his example, the nearest Azorius troops as one raised their swords to the ready position, prepared to fight for their Grand Arbiter. Viktor and his friends and the Planeswalkers readied themselves, too.

"Come on, Elena. Why don't you prove how tough you are?" Viktor challenged her, his pulse throbbing in his ears. Something occurred to him, however. _Alpha's staying further back; I can see him over there, close to Nicol Bolas. What's he planning?_

Elena turned her back to everyone and walked a few paces, then raised her arms and swept them apart. "Then behold!" she thundered.

At once, the air around the tip of Jund distorted, and a number of gigantic purple portals appeared, circular vortexes that could teleport Elena's army from place to place. The portals grew in size until they towered many yards into the air, and an avalanche of creatures poured out of each one in an uncontrollable horde.

The ground forces made up the largest portion of the Enslaved army, with creatures of all sizes mobbed together in a confused but deadly stampede. Even from here, Viktor could make out samurai, Myrs, Viashino, Kor, Eldrazi Drones, and soldiers and barbarians of varying humanoid races. There were even a number of Phyrexian creatures in the horde, not to mention a number of artifact creatures from Mirrodin. Viktor knew that the Scars of Mirrodin block featured a Phyrexian invasion of Mirrodin, but Elena's Enslavement clearly ad disrupted that. Phyrexians and artifacts marched side by side in Elena's army.

All these creatures rampaged across the flat rocky land toward the mana shield, but there were other Enslaved creatures around, too. Drakes, dragons, flying Kami, Elementals, and flying artifact creatures took to the skies, ready to back up their ground-stomping Enslaved allies.

Next, the beasts of burden lumbered out of the Portals shortly after the first wave arrived. A number of Naya gargantuans ambled along like living siege engines, the beasts snorting and rumbling in their rage an desire to fight for their mistress. Several giants from Shadowmoor trudged alongside the gargantuans, bringing axes and clubs of appropriate size. Finally, four more creatures arrived from the Portals, the largest creatures yet: a quartet of Pathrazer of Ulamog.

The bigger cousin of Ulamog's Crusher, the Pathrazer was a 9/9 with Annihilator 3 that could only be blocked by three or more creatures at a time. Viktor' gut clenched as he saw why: the four Pathrazers stomped forward with disproportionate speed and agility, using their forked arms to sweep aside the Enslaved creatures that stood in their way. The Pathrazers had no faces, but they were headed straight for the Planeswalker army, and they would blast away anything that got between them and their victims. Viktor recalled the flavor text of the Pathrazer of Ulamog: _"No thought but hunger. No strategy but destruction."_

Without warning, the mana barrier sank into the ground, with no trace of it left. Elena smiled at Viktor and the others, a very smug and mocking smile. "Have fun, kids," she wished them, then turned and sped across the empty ground in a five-colored blur. She vanished into the approaching horde of Enslaved creatures, most likely heading back to the very tip of Jund to watch over the mini-Maelstrom and Nicol Bolas.

"And now... we have a fight on our hands," Devin said faintly, watching the Enslaved horde draw close, with the Pathrazer of Ulamogs near the front of the army. "Oh, man..."

"If even Devin's afraid, then maybe we all should be," Kelly said fearfully, her eyes fixed on the Enslaved army.

Viktor frowned. _What, admitting defeat already? _He gave Kelly an incredulous stare, and then she broke out in a wide smile.

"But we _shouldn't _be afraid of Elena or her army. We're going to win," she added, and that pretty much rallied everyone else to fight the Enslaved army. Viktor and the others prepared their cards and the Planeswalkers prepared their various spells for combat.

Meanwhile, Epsilon pointed his ivory sword at the approaching horde and shouted a wordless war cry to his Azorius troops. Following the lead of their Grand Arbiter, thousands of Azorius troopers shouted their battle lust and swarmed forth in a silver and blue rush, meeting the Enslaved creatures head on. Swords, axes, claws, shields, fangs, and pikes all clashed and smashed against each other in a deafening din as the Azorius troops stemmed the tide of Enslaved creatures, refusing to allow the creatures to take another step forward.

Gideon Jura advanced to the front of the Planeswalker mob and swung his whip-like weapon up into a ready position. "Come on, you lot! Are you going to fight or not?" he rallied the Planeswalkers, and he charged after the battlefront, wading through the Azorius ranks. The Planeswalkers followed Gideon's lead, unleashing their magic as they went. Nissa summoned her elite guard of Elf warriors with her green magic, Chandra fired up her hottest flames, and Liliana summoned auras of death magic into her hands.

The battlefront changed rapidly; due to the varying nature of the creatures involved, the battle split into multiple groups of Enslaved creatures fighting clumps of Azorius troopers and Planeswalkers, providing space to move around in. Dragons and drakes swooped through the ranks, snapping up Azorius troopers in their jaws as snacks. Naya gargantuans used their huge feet to trample the Azorius troops, until the Azorius troopers raised their swords and pikes to make prickly targets out of themselves. Various gargantuans sustained wounds on their legs, their thick hides ruptured and bleeding waterfalls of hot red blood all over the place. Some of the drakes and dragons were slain by Planeswalker magic and Azorius archers, until flying Kami swooped in to replace the deceased dragons and drakes. The surviving dragons and drakes were quick to start avenging their fallen comrades, eating even more Azorius troopers than before. Near the middle of the battle, a red-hided gargantuan with four horns on its head fell over dead, its tremendous body making the earth shudder from the impact.

Viktor knew that he and his four friends could _not _afford to die here, not now. This wasn't just because of their combat prowess with card-spells, but their all-important Key Creatures needed to be used, too. Viktor still didn't know the specifics, but he knew that those five creatures would be vital to engineering Elena's downfall, and only the five kids could cast anything from their cards. Therefore, their survival was paramount now more than ever.

Garruk Wildspeaker was more than willing to volunteer as a bodyguard. "Hey. Kids," the brawny, shamanistic Planeswalker huffed as he tromped by them. "Let me watch over ya. Can't be too careful." Viktor cowered slightly in Garruk's overwhelming presence. Although human, Garruk towered at least a foot over Viktor, and was proportionately brawnier, with bulging muscles under his rough skin and primal clothing. Up close, he smelled like moss and tree bark, with a hint of wild animal pelt. His breath came in heavy, loud puffs under his half-helmet that covered his eyes and nose.

"O-okay," Viktor nodded jerkily, accepting Garruk's offer without really thinking. Garruk nodded back and tore off his helmet, tossing his rather long, mane-like hair. Primal strength and ferocity glinted in Garruk's stern eyes as he twirled his rather large ax in expert fashion.

"How are the Key Creatures going to be used?" Devin blurted out, asking the question that had been burning on Viktor's mind. Instead of answering, Garruk sniffed and turned to see a pair of Enslaved Myrs that had escaped from the battle and were trying to ambush the kids. Before a single card was used, Garruk roared and leaped right at the Myrs, landing heavily in front of the startled artifact creatures. The Myrs tried to swipe at Garruk with their claws, but the giant green Planeswalker dealt the first strike. He spun around and moved forward like a tornado, lashing out with a huge booted foot. His foot smashed into one Myr's forehead, shattering its head like glass. The momentum sent the pieces of the broken Myr flying, and the other Myr turned, distracted by its companion's demise. Garruk's ax swished through the air and chopped the second Myr in half, right at the torso. The ruined Myr's two pieces fell to the ground, unmoving.

Garruk turned back to face Devin. "To answer your question... I really don't know," he admitted freely, shrugging his linebacker-like shoulders. "Sorry. Jace and Tezzeret are the brainiacs around here, they've got it planned out for when the moment is right. Me? I just smash stuff. And there's a lot of Enslaved stuff here to smash."

"Yeah, I'd really appreciate it if you'd walk the walk instead of chatting!" Sarkhan Vol snapped as he pranced by, fending off a trio of Viashino armed with falchions and morning stars. Sarkhan parried a Viashino's falchion swing with his staff, then he raised his left hand and curled his fingers into claws as a fireball grew on his palm. Sarkhan released the fire in a burst, burning the hapless Viashino into a crisp and adding a scent of burned flesh to the thick air. The other two Viashino tried to run away, but Devin's Shock sent two bolts of searing lightning at them, striking both Viashino in the back. They fell forward and into the ground, defeated. Smoke poured from their fatal wounds, adding to the scent of burned flesh to the air.

"And that's how it's done," Sarkhan said simply, dusting his hand and glaring at the Viashino. "I'm telling you, Garruk -"

"Watch out!" Ashley cried, and she actually tackled Sarkhan in her haste to protect him from an ambush. The both of them tumbled to the ground just in time to dodge an intense beam of blue-white mana that sizzled in the air where Sarkhan had been standing seconds before. The beam faded away as fast as it had appeared, and Sarkhan leaped to his feet to find its source.

"What was that? Who dared to strike me from behind?" the dragon-revering Planeswalker roared, whipping his head from side to side to find his attacker. Viktor looked, too, but he and Sarkhan could only find numerous Azorius troops and Enslaved creatures fighting each other for hundreds of feet in every direction, and none of them was aiming a weapon or staff at Sarkhan. Then, Viktor's stomach clenched in dread as he saw Sarkhan's antagonists: one of the Pathrazer of Ulamogs was trudging rapidly through the battle straight at Sarkhan, and an Ethersworn Adjudicator from Esper was tagging along with it in the air.

"Eldrazi! Prepare!" Sarkhan shouted his warning, raising his staff as the faceless Pathrazer relentlessly stomped closer, wading though the battle like ankle-high water. The towering 9/9 Eldrazi dragged its four hands along the ground like a gorilla, gouging deep trenches into the dirt with its terrifying Annihilator ability. Tons of dirt sprayed constantly from the point where the Pathrazer's hands scraped the ground, as though it were preparing the ground for seeds to be sown. However, this Eldrazi focused only on death and destruction, and every Azorius soldier and Enslaved creature that was in its path was knocked aside whenever the Eldrazi' hands collided with them The rest were blasted into ashes from the Annihilator effect.

All in all, pretty scary.

"Unnatural brute," Garruk muttered angrily, glaring up at the approaching Pathrazer. "Sarkhan! Children! Let us take it down, right now!"

"I will," Sarkhan declared, waving his staff with red and green mana sparking from its tip. The sparks swirled in a hurricane around Sarkhan, and the mana condensed into a quintet of red-scaled dragons that Sarkhan had just summoned. The dragons all flapped their wings to get higher in the air, glaring at the Pathrazer as they all roared in unison. However, instead of charging at the Pathrazer, the five dragons took flight and charged at the Ethersworn Adjudicator.

"We'll back him up," Viktor told his four friends, and he cast his Assault Zeppelid to join the dragons and a mana-pumped Vine Trellis to hold off the Pathrazer for at least a few minutes. Devin's Volcanic Dragon was cast and rushed forward to fight whoever it found convenient, and Ashley's Water Elemental promised to trouble the Pathrazer as an ever-shifting and flowing adversary.

Then, the Ethersworn Adjudicator got to work.

The dragons and Assault Zeppelid were too slow to stop the Adjudicator from using its creature-killing ability. The actual Adjudicator was a Vedalken knight, but he was riding on top of a 25-foot-long artifact gargoyle that had a heavy lower jaw, gorilla-like front arms, and dragon-like wings that had thin sheets of flexible metal for the membranes. Orange mana flowed from the gargoyle's limbs to its chest like blood, all the mana flowing to a two meter-wide orb held in the front chest. The orb was exposed to the outside, allowing it to fire upon its foes. The dragons and Zeppelid got close to the Ethersworn Adjudicator, but the mana focused intensely into the orb, which glowed bright blue and white with the pent-up power. Then, the orb fired a thick blue-white beam of focused mana, just like the first beam that Sarkhan had nearly been hit with. This beam was activated for only two seconds, but it lasted long enough to sweep among the dragons' ranks and vaporize three of them with ease.

"Beast!" Sarkhan bellowed, throwing a fist in rage. "My dragons!"

"Hang on! We haven't lost yet," Viktor shouted back, over the din of battle.

The remaining two dragons and the Assault Zeppelid were afraid to get close to the gargoyle, but Devin's Violent Outburst helped drive them into a battle frenzy, and the Violent Outburst immediately Cascaded into a Shock that zapped the gargoyle in the face. The gargoyle took only minor damage to its hardened facial armor, protected by the Etherium woven into its body. However, the distraction was all that was needed, and the two dragons breathed searing hot fire all over the gargoyle's back in vengeance for their lost comrades. The gargoyle rumbled and twisted in the air to escape harm, but the dragons were persistent, and their hot fires made the gargoyle's armor plates glow red-hot. Taking advantage of this, the dragons swooped in close and clawed at the heat-softened armor, tearing it apart like wet paper. Then, Assault Zeppelid charged and bashed into a torn-up patch of gargoyle armor, plowing right through and injuring the gargoyle's inner workings.

"Yes! Destroy that abomination against nature!" Garruk shouted, weaving his life-enhancing magic to bolster the dragons and Zeppelid further. "Artifice must not be allowed to remain!"

_Well, green mana hates artifacts, _Viktor thought wryly, with cards like Creeping Mold, Naturalize, and Gleeful Sabotage coming to mind. The wounded gargoyle strained its wings to flap faster, and the metal beast lurched away from the dragons' attack range and took its turn. A dragon tried to get away, but the gargoyle seized it with a massive hand and crushed the squealing dragon into a pulpy mass, then opened its hand and dropped the dragon's remains onto the ground. Devin's Volcanic Dragon got close to help reinforce the Zeppelid and remaining dragon, but then another fighter made itself felt.

The Vine Trellis' destruction was even faster than Viktor was expecting. The Pathrazer of Ulamog trudged right over it as though it were a thin spiderweb, scraping its feet as it moved to help its gargoyle friend. The Pathrazer raised its left arm and swept it in a wide arc, and Sarkhan's dragon and Viktor's Assault Zeppelid were immediately reduced to ashes from the Annihilator ability. The Pathrazer was unable to control itself, however, swung that same arm, aiming at Volcanic Dragon but missing. The two hands on that left arm nearly hit the Ethersworn Adjudicator, until the Vedalken Knight pulled the reins and got his gargoyle to rise into the air and out of harm's way.

Not satisfied yet, the Pathrazer turned to Viktor and the others, letting out a screechy, ear-wrenching bellow as it charged once again, dragging its arms along the ground to create more gouges.

"Not one step more!" Garruk shouted, falling to one knee as he slammed both his hands face-down on the ground and flared up his green mana. At once, a number of trees, vines, oversized flowers, and shrubs sprouted out of the ground, covering a huge area. The vines and trees surrounded the Pathrazer and trapped it, snaring in nature's grasp. The Pathrazer tugged at its restraints, huffing with curiosity and impatience. Then, it tore its right arm free and swept it through the air, making more of the trees collapse into piles of ashes. More trees grew to replace them and trap the Pathrazer's right arm again, but Viktor could see Garruk's exhaustion from the effort of keeping his forest alive.

"Get it! While we've got the chance!" Viktor cried, and Devin sent his Volcanic Dragon at the Pathrazer's head to start things off. Ashley sent her Water Elemental after the Pathrazer too, and Viktor sent out a Fighting Drake bolstered with Giant Growth and Oakenform to make it huge and armored with wood. These three creatures closed in on the helpless Pathrazer, and they scored many gouges and wounds on the monster's arms and shoulders, making it writhe and bellow.

"See it squirm in agony? I love that," Sarkhan snarled in glee, his fierce eyes locked on the trapped Pathrazer of Ulamog. "Let me help!" Sarkhan pointed his staff at the Pathrazer and fired a beam of hot red fire, scorching the thick hide on the Pathrazer's left shoulder. However, the battle wasn't won yet. The Ethersworn Adjudicator was quick to aid its Eldrazi ally, and it swooped in close, charging up its chest orb again. Ashley cast her Withstand to shield the card-creatures from harm, but she had guessed wrong. The Ethersworn Adjudicator aimed its orb at the kids and fired at them instead.

"Whoa!" Viktor yelped, as the beam struck the ground and made it explode like a bomb. He and everyone else was thrown into the air like rag dolls, and he tumbled painfully across the ground when he landed. He scrambled up to his feet, seeing that his friends and Garruk and Sarkhan were all separated from each other by the blast. The Ethersworn Adjudicator dived lower, already firing its beam again. The beam nearly hit Ashley, and only her last-moment Wall of Denial kept her from being atomized. Instead, the Wall was destroyed by the beam, even though it has shroud.

Kelly's Consume Spirit sent three spikes of hardened black mana at the Adjudicator in retaliation for the beam attack. The Adjudicator dodged all three, but one of them grazed its arm and made it hesitate. Quickly, Viktor rifled through his cards, looking for a good one to use. However, they were all creature-enhancing cards or actual creatures, and he was short on time. Then, he saw Cytoshape and a possibility occurred to him. He cast the Cytoshape on the gargoyle of the Ethersworn Adjudicator, mentally altering the card's effect.

The Adjudicator was charging up its beam to fire when Viktor's blue-green spell hit it, and the spell began to warp and bend the gargoyle's metal body as though it were being crumpled. The gargoyle screeched in protest, squirming as its body was warped out of control. Its beam fired, but went wide and hit only empty ground far from any creature or person. Devin got up and gave the Adjudicator a Fireball to think about, heating up its body to make it even easier to bend.

_Yes! There it goes! _Viktor thought in triumph as the gargoyle was nearly in a ball and helpless, until a series of loud wooden cracks, followed by earth-shuddering footsteps, caught his attention. The Pathrazer of Ulamog had broken free of its forest-prison at last, knocking down all trees in its way as it Annihilated the three creatures harassing it. The Pathrazer had wounds all over its body, including a nasty gash on its left haunch, but it resolutely started to rampage again, charging at the kids with its hands dragging on the ground. The Pathrazer swung both its arms up, creating two tsunamis of earth that sent everyone flying through the air again, utterly helpless. Only Sarkhan avoided it, by summoning a dragon and riding on its back.

"Foul thing!" Sarkhan cursed, shooting a stream of fire at the Pathrazer's head. The fire did little more than warm up a patch of the Pathrazer's faceless head, but it bought the others time. Kelly got her Wall of Bone out and Viktor reinforced it with Vine Trellis, then Ashley's Wall of Denial was added to that. Finally, Garruk added some of his trees and vines to secure the combined wall, frustrating the Pathrazer. The Eldrazi charged and pounded against the super-barricade, but its progress was slow as its four hands bashed repeatedly against the wall.

Viktor was tempted to play Ulamog's Crusher or Simic Sky Swallower, but he had to conserve his mana for Elena and Alpha. However, Devin did play Deus of Calamity, and the huge 6/6 Avatar stomped toward the Pathrazer, bellowing its hunger. Kelly's Drag Down helped slow down the Pathrazer further, making tendrils of swamp matter that gripped the Pathrazer's limbs and shackled it. The Pathrazer started to break free, until Ashley's Curse of Chains helped keep the beast down. At last, the Pathrazer took damage when the Deus slugged it in the chest with its mighty fist.

"Yes! Kick his ass! Do it!" Devin cheered, jumping up and down and throwing his fist through the air. He lost his balance, however, and fell right on his face. Kelly helped him back up.

Meanwhile, the Pathrazer of Ulamog reeled back from the Deus' blow, and it recoiled as the Deus hit it again on the head. The Pathrazer strained and broke Ashley's Curse of Chains and attacked the Deus back. The Deus kicked the Pathrazer's shin, but the Pathrazer was not fazed. It gripped the Deus' arms with its four hands, bringing its face close to the Deus'. The Deus could only tremble as the Pathrazer's Annihilator ability started to turn the Deus to ash.

"Quick! Save it!" Devin cried, but Ashley was already on the job. She started to cast her Holy Day, until the Ethersworn Adjudicator managed to aim its destruction orb at her and fired its beam, forcing Ashley to use te Holy Day to protect herself instead. Sarkhan swooped in on his dragon, and hit the Adjudicator to distract it and help out Ashley. Still, that meant that the Pathrazer got its way. The Deus of Calamity was reduced to scattered ashes in the wind, and now the Pathrazer charged the super-wall with renewed vigor and strained against it. The Ethersworn Adjudicator fired its beam at the wall, and that combined with the Pathrazer's ramming destroyed the wall entirely.

"Get ready!" Garruk shouted, as the Pathrazer resumed its assault.

"Oh, man! What now?" Devin complained.

"Yah!" Makoto got a few of his samurai in the Pathrazer's way out of desperation, but the towering Eldrazi merely swept its arms and reduced them to ashes. Then, Viktor got an idea. It was time to be a little more resourceful.

"Try this, Pathrazer!" Viktor cried, and he cast his Ant Queen for the first time. The giant green Insect itself wasn't enough to defeat the Pathrazer of Ulamog, but her children could help. At once, dozens of 1/1 green Ant creatures spread out from the Queen's body, marching toward the Pathrazer. The giant Eldrazi cocked its head in curiosity, then swept its arms and started to Annihilate the Ants. However, the Queen made more of them, and the Pathrazer was forced to stop and Annihilate them, too.

_Now's our chance! _Viktor thought quickly, moving his attention to the Ethersworn Adjudicator. Despite being so mangled, the Adjudicator could still its beam, and that beam was destroying Ants to help out the Pathrazer. So, Viktor directed his friends' fire at it, and Devin's Branching Bolt and Makoto's Yamabushi's Flame combined to shatter the 4/4 flying Ethersworn Adjudicator at last, sending its pieces falling to the ground. The destruction orb rolled away like a giant bowling ball, utterly useless.

"Damn them!" Garruk cursed, and Viktor whipped his head back to the main battlefield. The Ants were slowing down the Pathrazer, but now a number of other Enslaved creatures decided to help out at last. A number of Myrs and human barbarians flanked the ants, butchering the insects faster than they could be spawned. The Pathrazer had a clear field, and it charged forth and destroyed the Ant Queen by hitting it and tearing it apart. It set its sights on Viktor and the others, confident that it had trapped them for good. Viktor, though, knew that he had one more card to play. So to speak.

Viktor cast Convincing Mirage to distract the Pathrazer for a few precious seconds, creating illusory doubles of himself and his friends. The mirages all charged at the Pathrazer, and the fooled Eldrazi swept its arms at the phantom threat.

"What are we going to do?" Kelly panted as she and the others ran away from the Pathrazer with Viktor leading them. "We can use really powerful spells to kill it, but what about Alpha and Elena? She's just wearing us down by throwing this Pathrazer at us!"

"Then we don't use spells," Viktor answered, and Kelly made a face.

"_What_?" she shrieked. "You can't expect Garruk and Sarkhan to kill it on their own?"

"We've got this," Viktor told her, eager to show her his plan. He had reached the scrap remains of the Ethersworn Adjudicator, and the destruction orb wasn't too far away. He approached the orb.

"But... oh," Kelly realized, seeing what his plan was. "Most resourceful, I -"

"Eldrazi alert!" Devin shouted, right before the Pathrazer's four fists slammed down near the kids, impacting like a pair of bombs. Once again, Viktor and the others were thrown into the air from the force of the Pathrazer's ground-pound, and two craters remained where the Eldrazi's fists had hit it. The towering 9/9 Eldrazi was wounded by now from all the attacks it had sustained, but the stubborn beast was pushing through its injuries to keep up the attack. Viktor was growing quite weary of it by now.

"Overrule!" Ashley cried, using her blue-white counter spell to slow down the Pathrazer's next attack. A shimmering wall of sky-blue mana trapped the Eldrazi like water, and Viktor's Lethargy Trap helped keep the beast bogged down. He tugged on Ashley and Kelly's arms to get them over to the Adjudicator orb, which sat still like an eye watching the battle.

"Are we going to use it? But... how?" Ashley wondered, giving the orb a nervous look. "I thought that only the Ethersworn..."

"That tap ability requires black and white mana, and from a blue creature," Viktor explained quickly, aware that the Pathrazer had broken through the barriers by now. "If we channel our mana into this orb, we can use it!"

Without even waiting for the sisters' reply, Viktor tried to pick up the orb, but found it massively heavy. Knowing that Makoto and Devin's new creatures were only delaying the Pathrazer's attack, Viktor used a Vine Trellis to create a pedestal of vines and shoots to hold the heavy orb up at arm level and aimed it at the approaching Eldrazi. The samurai and beasts summoned by Makoto and Devin were knocked aside by the Pathrazer's assault and the monster stomped close to Viktor's party, raising its arms to Annihilate.

To buy time, the three kids cast a number of buffer creatures, and the Pathrazer took a few steps closer and swept its arms, blasting apart the creatures into ashes.

"Hurry!" Viktor urged the sisters, placing his hands on the Ethersworn orb and channeling his green-blue mana into it. Kelly and Ashley quickly complied, pouring their own mana into the orb. Luckily, Viktor's plan started to work, and the orb began to glow bright the way it had when the Ethersworn Adjudicator had used it. The Pathrazer broke free of the creature defense force and reached its hands close to the kids –

And the familiar blue-white beam of lethal mana shot out of the orb, striking the Pathrazer of Ulamog directly on its face.

"Keep up the pressure!" Viktor shouted over the noise, as he and the sisters kept feeding their mana into the orb to keep the beam going. The Pathrazer shrieked deafeningly as it raised its arms to its face, but it was too late. Not even the terrifying Eldrazi could stand up to a creature-killing effect like this, and the beam burned away the Pathrazer's entire head, leaving only a smoking and charred neck in its place. The now-headless Eldrazi fell to its knees, its shoulders slumping and its arms falling limply to its sides. Then, the body gave way entirely and fell over on its side, unmoving.

Feeling utterly exhausted, Viktor let go of the Ethersworn orb and cut off the flow of mana, as did Kelly and Ashley. Feeling his limbs shake from the lack of energy, Viktor got out his Regenerate card to replenish his and the sisters' mana reserves. The spell wasn't enough to fully restore them and the effect took time to work, but it helped. The five kids assembled, giddy with victory. Sarkhan and Garruk joined, too.

"Well. Now that _that _is over, we can push through the army to find the Defiled One herself, huh?" Sarkhan put in, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "Our combined army is starting to push her Enslaved army back, just a little."

"I must come to the aid of my allies. Another may take my place in the assault," Garruk excused himself. As though by cue, a new Planeswalker flashed into existence right next to Garruk, startling everybody.

"Hello, all," the new Planeswalker said politely, with a slight smirk on his face. This human man was in his early thirties and had semi-short brown hair, with sideburns that extended past his ears and just shy of his jawline. His clothing was a combination of silver armor and a blue brown, giving him a regal look.

"Hey... do I know you?" Devin asked, squinting at the Planeswalker.

"I am Venser," the man introduced himself, placing a hand over his heart. "I am a disciple of blue and white magic, and I am rather fond..." he vanished.

"Wh-what?" Makoto sputtered, until Venser re-appeared right behind him, making him freak out.

"...of teleporting," Venser flashed a smile. "Anyway. I can help get you all to Elena, and help defeat her. Will you join me, Sarkhan?"

"I... fine," Sarkhan shrugged, giving Venser a funny look. "Children, are you ready? Venser and I are."

Viktor nodded as Garruk departed, intending to use his nature magic to reinforce the Planeswalker army. "Let's go."

Venser offered for everyone to get close to him, and the five kids and Sarkhan clustered around him obediently. Venser closed his eyes and muttered a few words, then everyone vanished in a flash of blue mana. They re-appeared halfway across the battlefield, with new batches of Enslaved Creatures and Azorius soldiers fighting each other. Venser frowned.

"Elena must have protective enchantments beyond this point," he figured, scratching his head. "Fancy that."

"She is the Defiled One. Don't even utter her name," Sarkhan glowered. Venser jumped.

"What for?" he objected. "It's just a name. Avoiding it doesn't make her less evil." Sarkhan conceded.

"She's bound to be close," Ashley said grimly, looking at how close the black-white Maelstrom was, and how near the slumbering Nicol Bolas was. Without warning, Ashley raised a card, and Viktor read the title: Worldpurge. At Ashley's command, a gigantic storm of world-cleansing mana raged into existence, sucking up every creature in sight and throwing them elsewhere on the battlefield. Viktor and the others cowered to protect themselves from the roaring tempest, but they were unaffected by it. As soon as it was over and Viktor uncovered his face, he saw that the field was nearly clear, with only Elena, Alpha, and Nicol Bolas waiting for them.

"Warn me next time," Sarkhan complained, looking ruffled as Ashley smiled apologetically. However, there was no more time to talk. Elena and Alpha started walking towards the invading party, with Alpha in the lead. The blue-black Hunter lowered his hood to reveal his flowing blue-black streaked hair, and his cold eyes and gleaming forehead emerald. His armor was dark gray with glowing-blue, spiral patterns etched into it. All in all, he looked rather similar to Jace Beleren, but Alpha exuded an aura of icy cruelty that Jace lacked. Plus, an unbelievable amount of mana seeped from the man, even more than Beta had had. And Beta had been a monster that took every ounce of the five kids' strength to defeat.

"Greetings to you," Alpha said flatly, resting a gloved hand on a dagger sheathed on his left leg. "You threaten my Lady Elena, so I will be taking all your lives. You will not receive any mercy."

"Nor you," Venser taunted back, pointing. "Are you ready to go down?"

"I am prepared for any challenge you seven may present me," Alpha replied calmly, shifting his booted, armored feet into a combat stance. "I can only hope for your sake that you are truly ready for this."

Viktor smirked. "Back at you, pal."


	36. Chapter 36

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 36

**A/N: **Finally! We're going to see Alpha fight for real! I've been waiting for this as long as you have, good reader!

Also, take note that this chapter is a little more graphic than previous chapters. Like PG-13 instead of PG.

*o*o*o*o*

Viktor's breath came in slight pants, his chest aching slightly as he inhaled the thick, hot Jund air. The scent of blood, steel armor, beast odor, and freshly churned dirt all hung in the air, but none of it could distract Viktor from the presences he was standing before. He hadn't personally encountered Elena since the first battle on Kamigawa, when he had fought Delta and Epsilon to capture Ryusei, the Falling Star. Elena had shown up astride the Reaper King, and she had failed to capture Ryusei but had succeeded in capturing Makoto. Viktor knew about Elena's bottomless shapeshifting power, and wasn't too eager to go up against it again. But even more scary was the fact that not only was Alpha the most powerful Hunter, but his skills were completely unknown.

Alpha took a single booted step forward, his blue-black armor clanking slightly as he advanced, a hand on his dagger's handle. At that moment, however, a streak of blue, white, and green flashed among the ranks of Viktor and his friends, and Epsilon was there, panting from the effort.

"I'm... not going to miss this one," the rogue Hunter grinned fiercely. Alpha cocked his head slightly but made no other acknowledgment of Epsilon's arrival. Viktor turned to Epsilon. "Wait a minute."

"Yes?" Epsilon asked, turning to face Alpha.

"You've fought him before, right? When you turned against Elena?" Viktor asked.

"I would hardly consider that a real fight, actually," Epsilon said tightly, his eyes fixed intently on the approaching Alpha. "I stabbed his abdomen with my blade, but he merely pulled it out and knocked me against a cliff and threw me to the ground. He would have killed me with that dagger if I hadn't taken my chance to teleport away to Ravnica. Alpha was mistaken to neglect that possibility, but he won't let anyone get away this time. Either we kill him, or he kills all of us."

"All of us?" Devin repeated defiantly. "He's got to be good, but all eight of us at once? That's kind of stretching it, unless Elena's going to help him."

"She might, or might not," Epsilon said frankly, a drop of nervous sweat running down his forehead, right past his cracked emerald. "I really don't know. For now, at least, get ready for Alpha. His powers know no limit."

"That's right, Epsilon," Alpha nodded, then vanished in a flash of bright blue mana. Viktor jolted, not expecting such a move so soon. A second later, there was another flash of blue right next to him, and Alpha was right there amid the kids and Epsilon, crouched with his knife out. Before anyone could react, Alpha whirled into motion and drove his long dagger right into Viktor's gut, all the way up to the dagger's hilt.

Pain flashed in Viktor's gut where the dagger impaled him, but somehow, the feeling sank away almost immediately. A different feeling replaced the pain as the dagger remained in his flesh for a few seconds: a heavy creeping sensation that spread from the wound, as though lead were filling his flesh and weighing him down. Viktor coughed blood and sank to his knees, his vision blurring and arms falling limply at his sides, his fingers grasping at nothing.

"Viktor! No!" Ashley's terrified voice shrieked. _Man, she's really far away, _Viktor thought dully, hearing the distant quality of Ashley's voice. _Where'd everyone go? I... I... this cant be... can't be right..._

The knife slid out of Viktor's gut, letting warm blood seep out of the two inch-wide wound on his belly. Viktor now fell completely to the ground, tumbling onto his side and clutching at his bleeding wound, his whole body feeling heavy and cold. He looked up enough to see Alpha holding his dagger, dodging a Shock from Devin and a fire bolt from Sarkhan's staff. Alpha ducked under Epsilon's sword slash and teleported again, vanishing from Viktor's sight. He could hear Alpha's voice from where Alpha had been standing originally.

"Is this all? This battle may end even sooner than I expected," Alpha said flatly, not sounding contemptuous or excited, just determined. "Don't you all value your lives? Fight for real."

"Urrrghhh... guhhh..." Viktor gasped and groaned, clenching his teeth as an icy cold sensation coursed through him, originating from the dagger wound. He gasped and grunted tightly, feeling as though all the water in his body had turned to bitterly cold ice. The cold wave flashed through him again, making him spasm and squirm. Ashley immediately rushed to Viktor's side, kneeling before him and running her hands over his body, trying to figure out what to do.

"Viktor! Can you hear me? Say something!" Ashley cried, her eyes wide and her breath coming in gasps through her parted lips. She shook him. "Viktor!"

_Cards! Use... Holy... Holy Day or something like... like that! _Viktor thought, feeling his brain ache as another cold wave surged through him, as cold as death. As though reading his thoughts, Ashley turned Viktor onto his back and tore off his jacket and T-shirt, tossing the garments to the ground. Viktor summoned the strength to look down at his body, and nearly fainted from the sight. Only a trickle of blood came from the wound now, but Viktor was far from safe. The skin around the wound was blue and black, wrinkling and cracking as though it had been burned. The infected area spread further and further, covering the whole lower half of his chest. That part of his body felt utterly numb from the effects of the magic Alpha must have put into his dagger.

"Oh my God... oh my God..." Ashley muttered frantically, as Kelly, Devin, Makoto, Sarkhan, and Epsilon started throwing offensive magic at Alpha. Ashley fumbled with her cards, dropping them all over the place. Her grasping fingers found her Holy Day, and she pressed the card to the tainted flesh, and golden-white magic seeped from the card and all over Viktor's chest. He felt the magic's effects start to dull, but not fast enough – it felt as though his life were sinking away.

"Come on... heal!" Ashley muttered desperately, pressing the Holy Day card harder on Viktor's chest, pouring her blue-white mana aura into the card. The magic's light shone on her face, illuminating her concerned features. However, the Holy Day was not advancing, and was only able to stall Alpha's magic. "Why aren't you healing?" Ashley scolded Viktor in nervous sarcasm. "Don't you want to get better?"

"I-I..." Viktor gasped, unable to speak further. Salvation arrived at that moment, however, in the form of Epsilon. The blue-white-green Hunter strode over to Viktor's side, motioning for Ashley to move aside.

"I can help," Epsilon told Ashley, and she nodded and got up, walking back to let Epsilon take over. Epsilon clapped his hands together once, and a plant-warrior was summoned into existence. Then, Viktor saw that it wasn't the warrior type: rather than having thorns and poison-pollen emitting flowers, this plant had small yellow flowers that secreted golden nectar.

"Hold still, no matter what," Epsilon told Viktor sternly, and Viktor nodded, figuring that he was in no shape to move around anyway. The plant lowered itself onto Viktor's chest, grasping and embracing him in its smooth vines like a friendly octopus. The plant produced a few long, thin thorns from its base and Viktor twitched in fear, until he saw the thorns sink into his tainted flesh. Instantly, he felt the heavy sensation start to lift again, and the thorns were apparently injecting a pre-healing salve to start things off. Once that was done, the plant lowered its vines and pressed its yellow flowers to Viktor's flesh, and the flowers oozed their golden nectar at an increased pace, letting the nectar pool on the skin. The nectar started to seep into the skin as though Viktor were a living sponge, and he saw the skin start to revert to normal. Slowly, but surely.

"Alpha's magic is something to be feared, all right," Epsilon commented darkly, watching the healing process take place. "Normally, this process would be done already, but this will take some time. I fear that this is only the beginning of what Alpha can do."

"Yeah. Sorry if I got taken down that fast," Viktor admitted, feeling a little stronger. "We're going to kick his ass soon enough."

"I wouldn't mind that," Epsilon grinned.

Meanwhile, Alpha had a challenger step forward. He warded off the attacks thrown at him, only amused by their futility. He easily swept aside the spells the kids cast at him, and even took down Sarkhan's dragons by himself. Venser held his arm out as a sign for everyone else to fall back and stay out of danger.

"What are you going to do?" Kelly asked the Planeswalker.

"I'm going to take him on alone. I know how to get some results," Venser said doggedly, his eyes fixed on the waiting Alpha. "Just watch." He took a few steps forward, cracking his knuckles.

"But how will -" Makoto started before Venser vanished and re-appeared in front of Alpha in a light blue flash of mana. He had just teleported, his specialty. Alpha blinked in reaction of the Planeswalker suddenly before him. Venser didn't wait; he grinned and threw a fast punch at Alpha's face, his gloved hand whooshing through the air. Alpha sidestepped and blocked the punch with his open palm, but Venser was already moving again. The Planeswalker shifted his footing and retracted his fist, throwing his other fist in a sweeping blow at Alpha's head. Alpha turned his head to dodge the blow, but Venser's other fist came forward, slugging Alpha on the gut. Alpha staggered back, stunned at the strength of Venser's blow.

"Not too bad," Alpha admitted before Venser teleported again, re-appearing right at Alpha's right flank. Venser swung his foot in a quick move, and Alpha backed up a little too late, allowing Venser's booted foot to graze his shoulder and throw him off balance. Venser advanced in a flurry of martial arts, his fists and kicks going everywhere as his body moved as fluidly as a water elemental's. Alpha fought back with considerable skill,, but he was too slow to stop Venser's attacks. With a combination of punching speed and teleporting, Venser rained at least a dozen blows on Alpha, sending the Hunter sprawling across the dirt.

"Come on!" Venser shouted, advancing with his fists raised to chest level. He pounced on Alpha, who looked up at the approaching Venser. "Double speed," the Hunter said quietly.

"Huh? Watcha say?" Venser demanded, and he threw his leg down in a fierce drop kick. Alpha brought up his own leg to block it faster than Venser expected, and his booted foot caught Venser's ankle, stopping the attack cold. Alpha brought up his other leg and whipped it in a blur, catching Venser's outstretched leg on the thigh. Venser was thrown off balance by the blow, and had to teleport away to avoid falling over. The Planeswalker re-appeared behind Alpha to attack from behind, but the Hunter had already gotten up and blocked Venser's punches, more easily than before.

_Hmmmm. Something's wrong here, _Venser noted, pressing his attack. With centuries of martial arts training guiding his actions and teleports to boot, Venser maintained the upper hand, but Alpha's guard had gotten tougher. Venser even took a blow to the jaw after Alpha had parried a blow and teleported to Venser's flank for an ambush. Venser backed up, panting as he brought up his fists in a defensive position. He had landed more blows on Alpha than Alpha had hit him with, but he got the feeling that this was about to change.

"Triple speed!" Alpha declared, rushing forth in a blue-black fastwalk, appearing almost instantly before Venser. It took a lot of energy for either Venser or Alpha to teleport, and Venser was starting to feel the price he paid for all the teleport-enhanced blows he had landed on Alpha. Alpha's teleports were always five seconds apart at the fastest, clearly an in-built limitation. Venser had no such limits, but that advantage was wearing out fast.

Venser took a heavy kick to the stomach, Alpha's leg moving near blindingly fast. Venser stumbled back, gasping as he clutched at his aching stomach. Alpha darted forth and swung a gloved fist at Venser's head, but the fist whooshed through empty air as Venser teleported away. Venser appeared in the air right above Alpha and landed a drop kick on the Hunter's head, only for Alpha to teleport away before Venser could do anything else. Alpha re-appeared right above Venser, thrusting his dagger at the Planeswalker. Venser teleported yet again, this time even higher into the air above Alpha. He tried to kick Alpha's head, but Alpha caught the kick with his bare hands, his grip unnervingly strong.

"Too slow," Alpha said simply, and he threw Venser to the ground. Alpha teleported right in front of Venser's flight path and threw a punch, using both Venser's velocity and the punch's own power to hit Venser hard on the face. Venser was thrown back and he teleported away at the last second, scrunching his face as he strained to use his magic.

"Guh... damn it!" Venser spat breathlessly, appearing among the ranks of the kids and Sarkhan. He winced, holding his face in his hands.

"Hold on!" Ashley told him, seeing that Venser had a broken nose and his face was bruised. Her Holy Day mended the Planeswalker's face, earning his gratitude. Venser was already revved up for another attack.

"Okay. _Now _I'm going to destroy him," Venser growled, a fire in his eyes as he hit his open palm with a fist.

"Just a second! We should back you up. We can't afford to keep fighting Alpha one-on-one," Kelly argued. "Give us a second."

Venser waited until everyone was ready, and then he teleported out of sight and re-appeared a dozen feet in front of Alpha. He charged at Alpha with his fists, and the blue-black Hunter prepared his defense. Right before contact, Venser vanished again, startling Alpha. Venser re-appeared right behind Alpha in mid-air, sweeping his leg in a powerful kick. At the same time, Devin's Giant Ambush Beetle charged at Alpha, attacking with its huge insectoid legs. The Beetle was backed up by a Yamabushi's Flame.

"Now the teamwork begins," Alpha commented, and raised his arm to block Venser's kick with his forearm. He grabbed Venser's leg and swung the Planeswalker at the Giant Ambush Beetle with shocking strength. Venser teleported out of Alpha's grip, and the Beetle tried to finish its attack. However, Alpha dove right to the ground, making the Beetle pounce on him, foolishly getting in the way of the Yamabushi's Flame. The insect screeched as the fire washed over its back, but Venser teleported on top of it to help out.

"Come on, big bug," Venser urged the insect, and now a Drag Down from Kelly trapped Alpha in place, with swamp tendrils and vines gripping his limbs. Alpha tried to teleport away, only to be stymied by Ashley's Overrule. Alpha was stuck as the Beetle and Venser smashed into him, throwing him deeper into the swamp muck with a loud splash.

"I'm not done with you!" Venser roared, jumping down and pulling Alpha out of the brackish swamp water by the arms. He pounded Alpha's face with his fist, bruising Alpha's cheek. He hit Alpha's face again and again. "Raaaaaah!"

Venser was aided by Devin's Volcanic Dragon and Makoto's Ronin Houndmaster, both red creatures hitting Alpha too. Venser held the limp Alpha in his grip, glaring down te Hunter face-to-face.

"What now? You're going to die, you know," Venser leered. Alpha glared back.

"Am I?" the blue-black Hunter asked, and his forehead emerald suddenly glowed bright for a second. At once, Venser felt a strange tingling sensation on his hands, and then his whole body. He blinked, trying to tell what was going on. The air seemed to waver as though heated, but Venser felt no heat. His vision was getting fuzzy, and his body felt heavy.

"Wh-what?" Venser gasped, dropping Alpha. He stumbled back, his legs trembling from the effort of holding his body up. Then, his knees buckled and Venser fell to his hands and knees at the edge of the mini-swamp, gasping and wheezing for breath. The dragon and Houndmaster were feeling much the same, both falling to the ground when they got near Alpha. Venser squinted, and saw that a spherical aura surrounded Alpha, over ten feet in diameter. The aura's air was gray and roiled, and made a static-like sound. The swamp water under Alpha's feet dried up, and the ground cracked and withered away.

"You've finally pushed me too far," Alpha declared, taking a few steps toward Venser. The ground under his feet continued to crumble wherever he went, leaving a trail of death and decay behind him. Devin's Branched Bolt arced through the air, and Alpha didn't make a move to dodge it. Instead, as soon as the lightning bolts passed through the deathly aura, they slowed down and fizzled out of existence, their energy drained away. The Volcanic Dragon and Houndmaster got up to attack Alpha again, yet as soon as they passed Alpha's aura, they crumbled away, succumbing to the leeching power.

"No... no!" Venser cursed, getting to his feet again. Sarkhan rushed forth, throwing dozens of fire bolts at Alpha but to no avail; the bolts all withered and fizzled out withing Alpha's aura. Alpha pounced, kicking Venser in mid-flight. Venser fell to the parched ground, tumbling for a few feet before coming to a halt. He lay helplessly on his back, and Alpha knelt over him, seizing the Planeswalker's right arm and pulling it back. With a loud crack, Alpha shattered the bones in Venser's right arm, with white bone tearing through the skin.

"Aaaaaarrrghhh! Uuuugh..." Venser shouted in agony, then felt lightheaded. He gritted his teeth, clenching his eyes shut against his perilous situation.

Alpha produced his long dagger and flourished it. "And now, you die," he said, holding Venser down with one hand and lowering his dagger for the kill. In a flash, Epsilon was on the scene, his ivory sword blocking Alpha's blade with a metallic clang.

"Epsilon! Again you oppose me," Alpha commented to his former comrade, seeing the look of determination and loathing on Epsilon's face.

"Yeah, well, you know how it is," the blue-white-green Hunter gritted.

"Indeed I do," Alpha said simply, and then his booted foot exploded on Epsilon's face, sending him flying away at high speed. Desperately, Epsilon summoned a few plants to cushion his impact to the ground, and the leafy plant warriors caught him without harm. Still, Epsilon's sword had been knocked out of his hand, and now the ivory-bladed weapon lay a few feet away from Alpha on the ground.

Alpha was about to retrieve the weapon, but before he could do anything, a massive shadow loomed over him. Alpha froze in his tracks, not expecting a Simic Sky Swallower to be over his head. Indeed, the 6/6 Simic beast was right overhead, and it plowed its head right at Alpha like a battering ram. Alpha jumped into the air and stopped the Sky Swallower with his hands, but after teleporting so often, he was growing tired. He held the Sky Swallower in place, his arms starting to tremble. The Sky Swallower rumbled in discomfort as Alpha's mana-leeching aura touched its teeth, and the beast withdrew before its teeth were rotted away.

"You're not going to kick us around anymore, you hear me?" Viktor shouted down from the Sky Swallower's head, wearing his jacket. His friends and Sarkhan were on the Sky Swallower's back, and Ashley dispatched a Battlegrace Angel to collect Venser and Epsilon, making sure to retrieve Epsilon's sword. Alpha allowed that action, clearly confident that he could obliterate his foes even if they were armed.

"You recovered? I thought for sure that you had died by now from my enchanted blade," Alpha called up to Viktor, but Viktor could hear the hidden taunt in Alpha's tone. Viktor could tell that Alpha had not yet unleashed his full repertoire of abilities, and this mana-leech aura would make things only more difficult.

"You're going to be okay, just hang on," Ashley comforted the injured Venser, laying him down gently on the Sky Swallower's scaly back. Venser groaned in dull pain, the muscles on his neck bulging as he clenched his teeth. His face was ashen, but he wasn't about to go into shock just yet. Ashley numbed his maimed right arm with a Withstand, then carefully moved the arm back into its normal position. Her Holy Day started to mend the injuries, the flesh writhing and flowing back into shape little by little. Venser relaxed, certain that he was out of danger for now.

Then, Alpha was in the air, right in front of the Sky Swallower's snout. "Attack, or I will," he challenged Viktor. "Now."

_He sure rushes this business, _Viktor grimaced. _If we're rushed, we make mistakes. Time isn't on our side; every second Elena still lives, she grows in power. And then there's Nicol Bolas! What are we going to do about him? _Viktor looked down at the slumbering elder dragon, still unsure how that Planeswalker would play into this battle, but he'd have to figure that out as he went. Alpha wasn't going to wait.


	37. Chapter 37

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 37

**A/N: **Just six chapters left to go! Reviews will help me get through this home stretch :)

*o*o*o*o*

Viktor hadn't expected Alpha to act frightened or impressed by the Simic Sky Swallower, or even give it much acknowledgment. However, he knew that the blue-black Hunter would have to at least take it seriously, but that meant that Alpha would probably start using more of his powers.

_I just b__et that he's got all kinds of powers he hasn't shown us yet, _Viktor thought nervously, watching Alpha hover in the air before the Sky Swallower's snout in preparation to attack. _Like his Ascendant State. Delta and Beta had them, so –_

Alpha did a fastwalk through the air, rushing to the kids' position on the Sky Swallower's back in a blue-black blur that caught everyone off-guard. Devin was able to react pretty fast, though, and he used his Firebreathing card in a rather novel way.

"Raaaah! Fear me!" Devin shouted, pressing the card to the corner of his mouth and flowing his red-green mana from the card to his jaws. He breathed in and then breathed out while facing Alpha. Viktor was as startled as everyone else when a searing surge of fire rushed from Devin's mouth, threatening to cook Alpha alive. The blue-black Hunter swept his arm in a rush of mana that held the fire at bay, but the Hunter looked surprised.

"Using the cards on your own body? I have not seen that before," Alpha commented, before he flared up his mana-leech aura even further, threatening to drain everyone's mana away. Sarkhan fired a series of mini-fireballs at Alpha, capturing his attention. Devin gave up on his fire, but he was still giddy.

"That was so fun! Why didn't I try it earlier?" he gloated.

"That was so dumb," Kelly tried to admonish him, but she had a wide grin on her face as she activated her Drag Down card to capture Alpha. Viktor commanded his Sky Swallower to lurch and buckle, throwing everyone off their feet. Kelly caught on right away; her swamp tendrils kept her allies on their feet, but Alpha was sent sprawling on the beast's back, and the swamp tendrils pinned him there. Ashley focused on healing Venser, using her Holy Day to tend to the injured Planeswalker. Meanwhile, Sarkhan summoned a trio of flaming dragons that assaulted the trapped Alpha with their claws and fire, aided by Devin's Branching Bolt.

Alpha's mana-drain aura staved off the worst of the attack, but Kelly's Drag Down swamp lessened the effectiveness of the aura, forcing Alpha to devote all of his energy to his aura. The three dragons were finally disintegrated from the aura and had their mana added to Alpha's own, but they had bought enough time for a more extreme attack to take place.

"Now!" Viktor shouted, after he had relayed a plan to Kelly. Alpha broke out of the swamp's grip and prepared to attack again.

"That trick won't work on me again!" the blue-black Hunter cried, but Viktor's Cancel halted the Hunter's planned teleport. The Sky Swallower buckled like an angry horse, again throwing everyone off its back. Makoto's Mothrider Samurai, boosted by Viktor's Giant Growth, was able to take everyone onto its back while Alpha was still unsupported in the air. The Sky Swallower, at Viktor's mental command, charged forth and bashed Alpha with its bared fangs, slamming him to the ground in a huge crash.

"Finish him!" Viktor cried, and everyone took their cue. Sarkhan summoned a particularly large dragon to ride on, and he charged at Alpha as such. The Sky Swallower bore down on Alpha at full speed as though launched out of a cannon, its huge wurm-like body moving at impressive speed for its size. Viktor got a bad feeling, however, when brilliant green lights flared from Alpha.

"Wait! Stay back!" he warned, and the Sky Swallower caught itself in the air, rumbling and hissing as it squirmed to get into a comfortable position while it hovered above Alpha. Sarkhan swooped past Alpha, not wanting to get too close to the Hunter who was performing a strange new move. Makoto guided his Mothrider Samurai to get his party closer to see what was going on, but not too close.

"Look," Alpha said, holding out his palm. Two brightly glowing thumb-sized green emeralds lay there – where had Alpha gotten them? Wait...

"Hey. Are those Rho and Sigma's?" Devin wondered, frowning as he looked at the emeralds. "How'd Alpha... oh no! When we defeated Rho and Sigma..."

Viktor nodded grimly. "The emeralds were taken back by Enslaved creatures, and now we know why. Backup power!"

Epsilon joined the Mothrider Samurai, sitting atop one of his hovering plant-warriors. "Just like when I absorbed Gamma's emerald on Shadowmoor. If Alpha gains all that power..."

"He's been tough so far, and was only toying with us," Kelly gritted, clenching her fist. "We have to stop him! We shouldn't have delayed!"

"Yeah. Get him before he can absorb the emeralds!" Viktor shouted frantically. The Sky Swallower resumed its charge and Sarkhan swooped back for a second pass, and the Mothrider Samurai charged to let its riders use their offensive magic. Branching Bolt, Yamabushi's Flame, and Consume Spirit all flew from the giant moth's back, but these spells were fizzled by a sudden vortex of red, green, and blue mana that surged around Alpha. The Simic Sky Swallower crashed against the vortex, rumbling its frustration as it reeled back from the sudden resistance.

In the vortex, Alpha clenched the emeralds tightly in his palm, extracting every bit of Rho and Sigma's powers from the gems to his own body. The reaction was explosive, especially since two emeralds were being absorbed at once. As the new power surged through Alpha's body, he let a cruel smile curl his lips. _Now, Lady Elena, I will show you am your most worthy child!_

As soon as the vortex faded, Alpha was left standing there, looking no different than before. His opponents crept closer, but hesitated to attack – and for good reason. Even the headstrong Epsilon hung back, raising his ivory sword in a defensive position with several of his plant warriors acting as bodyguards. Aware that Elena was patiently watching, Alpha got to work.

Without uttering a word, Alpha raised his hand and clenched it, and at once a giant, ghostly clock face flared into existence at his feet with a loud _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK! _The hands of the clock ran forwards but at high speed, revving Alpha up. Then, Alpha extended his arms and expanded them into those of a giant praying mantis, each arm over fifteen feet long. Alpha spun in place, slowly at first, then faster and faster until his huge arms made him like the blades of a helicopter, sped up by the Little Clock Rocket.

"Now that's... just not right," Devin said faintly, watching the spinning mantis-helicopter-Alpha rush at him like an approaching lawnmower.

"Watch out already!" Ashley flared, desperately getting her Safe Passage card out at the last second. A shining wall of soft white mana redirected Alpha's spinning body, his mantis arms struggling to get through the protective magic. In seconds, though, he was able to pour more mana into his effort and break through the safe wall, his fast-moving arms blasting apart and churning the ground. Viktor cried out as he was flung away from the sheer force, tumbling to the ground and getting bruises. This reminded him of Pathrazer of Ulamog, but Alpha was no simple Eldrazi.

The Hunter leaped forward, still spinning like crazy. Various offensive spells were flung at him from cards and Sarkhan's staff, but the spells were deflected by the spinning motions of Alpha's giant arms.

"Useless," he taunted, pouncing for another attack. His momentum seemed unstoppable, because vast amounts of magical power were compressed into Alpha's body. But there had to be a way! Beta had gone down as soon as Viktor had figured out the trick to defeating the black-red Hunter – hammer him with too many attacks at once, and Beta lost his coherence for a short time. Would a similar strategy work on Alpha, too? Something had to be done.

"Planeswalkers! Help us!" Viktor shouted at the nearby battle, hoping to recruit assistance to defeat Alpha and then Elena. Alpha didn't give Viktor the chance, and fastwalked right before Viktor and swung his huge mantis arms through the air, intending to take Viktor's head off. A huge Vine Trellis burst into existence to block the attack, and Alpha's mantis arms got caught in the Trellis' thick tangle of wooden vines, roots, and leaves.

"Yah! No one picks on my friend!" Devin roared, sending a souped-up Fireball at the trapped Alpha.

Alpha didn't have a witty response to give, but he escaped all the same – in a bright blue flash, he vanished from the scene and let the Fireball roast the empty ground, and then in another flash Alpha was right behind Viktor, at the kid's blind spot.

"Whoa! Damn it!" Viktor cursed, barely casting a Cancel to nullify Alpha's attack somewhat. The card's alternate effect blunted the momentum of Alpha's swing, and Viktor flared up his green-blue mana aura like armor, but Alpha's attack was still grimly powerful. Viktor was swept off his feet from the blow and sent tumbling away, aggravating his chest where he had been stabbed earlier.

"Children! We are here to help!" a new voice shouted, and Viktor looked up to see a trio of Planeswalkers approaching from the battle – a Vedalken in shocking red robes, a Leonin with black fur and gold armor, and strangely enough, a goblin with a staff. _A goblin Planeswalker? _Viktor almost laughed to himself, but he had to be grateful for any help that came his way. The Vedalken swerved his arms in a fancy move and fired a thick beam of burning gold mana at Alpha, but the blue-black Hunter flared up his mana-leech aura again, fizzling out the attack as soon as it got close.

_That's the same gold mana that Tohru uses, _Viktor thought as he scrambled over to join his friends and Sarkhan. _I'v__e never seen anything like that on the cards. I might ask about it later. _Meanwhile, Ashley had a hug to give.

"I thought Alpha was going to take off your head!" she cried, throwing herself onto Viktor as soon as he got near. "Just like that!"

"Well, uh... so did I," Viktor laughed nervously.

"Yes! Unnecessary hugs are the best kind!" Gerbie cheered from Ashley's pocket. "Don't some people call it 'glomping'?"

"Sh-shut up! I'm really on edge here," Ashley defended herself, backing away from Viktor. "But it looks like we have some help."

Alpha was fighting the three new Planeswalkers at once, and enjoyed an advantage over them. His teleports, leeching aura, mantis arms, and Little Clock Rocket made him too tough for three Planeswalkers to handle alone.

"Here," Ashley offered, casting her Into the Roil. At once, a huge typhoon roared up, a raging cyclone of water and wind that flung the four combatants over to the waiting kids.

Devin sent forth his Predator Dragon and Kelly sent up her Sengir Vampire, but both knew that Alpha could destroy such foes easily. As soon as Alpha tried, however, Viktor's Cancel and the Vedalken's magic blunted Alpha's own attacks, and Alpha was knocked out of the air by both creatures. He tumbled through the air and then teleported, right on top of the Predator Dragon. The scaly beast squirmed in the air and tried to bite Alpha in half, until the blue-black Hunter swept his arm and created a cloud of bright red spores.

The Predator Dragon snapped at Alpha, until it inhaled the red spores and its eyes widened at the mind-altering effect those spores had. The Dragon wheeled around and gored Kelly's Sengir Vampire, betraying its friend on the spot.

"Damn it! Rho's mind-control spores!" Kelly stamped her foot, furious that she and her friends had fallen for that trick again. She fumbled with her new cards and cast a few new spells – a Vicious Hunger restored the vitality of her Sengir Vampire by feeding off of the Predator Dragon, and then her Seal of Doom came into play. Glowing arcane symbols surrounded the Predator Dragon in mid-air, confusing the beast. It only had time to breathe a single blast of fire at the three airborne Planeswalkers until the seals dispersed life-taking black magic, dissolving the doomed dragon on the spot.

"Not bad at all," Alpha praised as he landed lightly on the ground. For the second time, however, the Simic Sky Swallower charged at Alpha, intending to pound him into the ground. Again, Alpha had a quick response by teleporting out of the way, but the three Planeswalkers all hit him with burning magic while Alpha's teleport power was recharging. Viktor noticed, for the first time, that Alpha's mana-leech aura was also lowered while his teleport recharged. If that aura were still up, that Planeswalker attack would never have landed. But now there was a weakness to exploit!

The three Planeswalkers landed on the ground, flinging more spells at Alpha. The blue-black Hunter used a Little Clock Slug to stall the first wave of spells, and then he teleported out of the way of a charging Boggart Ram-Gang that Devin had cast. The goblin battering ram whooshed through empty air, but Alpha was open. Epsilon's Freezing Attack Level 2 trapped him in place, allowing Kelly's Consume Spirit jabbed at Alpha's thigh, and then Sarkhan's fire bolts washed over Alpha's body, roasting him all over.

"Enough of that!" Alpha demanded, and he teleported out of sight again. He re-appeared right among the kids, startling all of them. He swept his huge mantis arms and caught everyone by surprise, knocking them all away. Viktor tumbled to the ground yet again, but not before he had cast a quick Ice Cage on Alpha. That blue enchantment would freeze Alpha for at least a few seconds, buying his friends some time. Ashley took that chance and cast another Into the Roil, blasting apart Alpha's Ice Cage and sending the Hunter flying through the air from the raging storm.

"Excellent!" the Leonin cried. "Strike down the abomination!"

Viktor didn't waste any time; his Simic Sky Swallower was still in commission, and the huge 6/6 flier rumbled in hunger as it got off the ground and lurched forward in the sky at its master's command. The Sky Swallower suddenly shot forward, opening its enormous maw with the intention of swallowing Alpha whole. Viktor suddenly realized that that was a bad thing.

"No! Bad Sky Swallower! He'll just tear you up from the inside!" Viktor shouted at his huge Simic beast, but it was too late to change the Sky Swallower's simple-minded plan. The three Planeswalkers applied their own power to get out of the Sky Swallower's way, and Devin's Shock and Makoto's Yamabushi's Flame distracted Alpha long enough to keep him in the Sky Swallower's path.

"Guys! Stop the Sky Swallower, I don't want it to swallow Alpha!" Viktor cried at his friends, almost hysterical. His friends jolted, not expecting this. Kelly tried to cast her Nausea on the Sky Swallower to change its mind about eating Alpha but she was only a second too slow. The Sky Swallower's cavernous, toothy maw moved into position and snapped closed, trapping Alpha in its mouth. With a satisfied rumble, the Sky Swallower gulped down Alpha, its throat actually bulging a little as the Hunter was sent down into its gut.

"Crap... there he went," Devin said with awe, taking a few steps forward to look at the Sky Swallower. The only other sounds were those of the surrounding battle, but the action wasn't over yet. The Sky Swallower hovered in the air, pleased with itself.

"Not so fast, children!" Elena called over triumphantly from where she stood, and her words proved to be only too true. The Sky Swallower's eyes widened as a disturbance in its gut started up,and then the Simic beast groaned as its gut started to swell like a balloon.

"Back up!" Viktor urged his party, and everyone backed away from the grim spectacle taking place. The Sky Swallower's tough, scaly body expanded until it exploded from the internal pressure, and the two halves of the beast fell sloppily to the ground in a shower of bloody scraps of flesh. Hovering in the air was Alpha, but not as Viktor recognized him.

"Surprised? You should have expected this," Alpha said sternly, pointing at Viktor with a clawed finger. His blue-black mana aura was bigger than ever and glowed brightly, making him impossible to miss. Viktor could tell that Alpha had awakened his Ascendant State, and now the blue-black Hunter had become a vampire spirit, an embodiment of blue and black mana in one entity. Alpha's whole body was partly see-through, a corporeal form that still had substance. Alpha's face was pointed and predator-ish, with thin black eyebrows, dark eyes, pointed ears, and deathly gray skin. His clothing seemed rather Oriental, with hakama-like pants and a jacket that looked like a haori. His shirt was long-sleeved and his sleeves covered his hands, making it harder to guess what he'd do next. Finally, Alpha's long black hair was pulled back in a slick ponytail, tied at the end.

"Ha ha ha! Asian vampire with elf ears! Ha ha!" Gerbie laughed as he poked out of Ashley's pocket, comically summarizing Alpha's appearance. Viktor had thought the same thing, but certainly hadn't voiced it.

"Do I amuse you?" Alpha boomed from far away, and in a flash, he was right in front of Ashley, and she started to make a scream of terror until Alpha's deathly hand clapped over mouth, hushing her. He seized the vulnerable Gerbie and held the Simic pet to eye level, scaring the furry friend out of his wits.

"Agh! No! I didn't mean it! I meant, you look really cool!" Gerbie fumbled with his words,, squirming in Alpha's grip. "I, um... please don't kill me! I'm too young to die!"

"Bothersome thing," Alpha dismissed Gerbie, and was about to throw the gerbil away until Viktor found himself right in front of Alpha, his green-blue mana aura flared to its greatest extent. The mana aura seemed to melt the air from its sheer intensity, resulting from Viktor's determination not to see any of his companions die. Gerbie was a Simic pet, but he was a part of the gang! Viktor swore that this was as close as Alpha would get to Gerbie, Ashley, or anyone else.

"Well. The leader of the children confronts me," Alpha commented, his large fangs showing as he spoke. He lightly tossed Gerbie away, and Ashley caught him. "What will you do?"

"This," Viktor growled, and he cast a Trusty Machete and sank the survival blade into the Ascendant Alpha's gut.


	38. Chapter 38

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 38

Alpha made no cry of pain or shock as Viktor's Trusty Machete was plunged into his stomach, nor did he resist an any kind of way. Instead, the Ascendant Hunter stood still, looking down at the blade with his dark, cold eyes and his sharp teeth exposed in a silent snarl. Viktor had the full strength of his green-blue mana aura flared up, giving him the strength he needed to strike his blade into Elena's most powerful Hunter. It had taken a huge toll in Viktor's strength to perform this feat, but it was done. Alpha was critically injured now, Viktor figured. This fight was almost over.

"Is that... is that it?" Makoto breathed. Like everyone else, he didn't move a muscle. "Is Alpha going down?"

"Better be sure! Here goes!" Devin cried, raising a card into the air. His Lord of Shatterskull Pass erupted from the card, the towering Minotaur bellowing its rage as it charged toward Alpha. Devin had already set the ball rolling, so everyone else helped – Kelly's Nightmare, Ashley's Water Elemental, and Makoto's Silverstorm Samurai all charged with the Lord of Shatterskull Pass, and Sarkhan summoned a quartet of red-scaled dragons to help out. Epsilon hung back, keeping his plant warriors close.

Viktor could sense the horde of friendly creatures charging to finish the injured Alpha off. "Get ready to die, Hunter," he whispered. Alpha didn't do a thing.

As soon as the creatures got within striking distance, however, Alpha moved. In a flash, he leaped back, allowing Viktor's Trusty Machete to slide out of his stomach. Alpha moved both far and fast with his backwards leap, and the horde of creatures all crashed down onto empty ground in a confused pile.

"Come on!" Viktor urged the creatures, brandishing his Machete like a sword as he led the creatures on a resumed attack. Makoto's Unnatural Speed helped the creatures quickly recover from their failed attack, and they charged toward the waiting Alpha. The blue-black Hunter had other ideas.

"Too bad you all are so foolish," he glowered, raising a hand palm-out with the fingers held apart. "You think you can destroy me with sheer force?"

Ashley's Safe Passage came into play in order to protect Viktor and the creatures from whatever Alpha was planning, but it was for nothing. Alpha didn't intend to cast any offensive magic: he changed the nature of reality.

Dark blue mana swirled around Alpha's hand like a tiny hurricane, bending and warping the space around him like the edge of a black hole. The very air seemed to bend and tear apart as Alpha's magic dominated the nature of reality, and a bizarre howling sound tore through everyone's eardrums. Viktor felt his world bending and twisting like he was buffeted in underwater currents, and the next thing he felt was his own Trusty Machete vanish from his hands and re-appear in his back, piercing him all the way through.

"Gaaaaaaaah! Ugghhh..." Viktor gurgled, feeling his lungs punctured by the Trusty Machete's sharp edge. He coughed up hot red blood, stunned at what had happened. _What did Alpha do? Telekinesis? _He managed to turn around and saw that all the summoned creatures were starting to emerge from their startled owners' hands, as though they were never cast in the first place. _Did Alpha reverse time?_

"Surprised? You should expect such a thing from blue and black mana," Alpha lectured Viktor as the boy fell to his hands and knees, trembling. Alpha took a few steps forward, curving his hand's fingers like claws. "I can warp reality when in this form. I reverse the space and time of whatever objects I choose. Those creatures are now reverted back to being cast, and I can stop them from being cast."

Alpha fired a thin bolt of purple mana that struck the emerging Nightmare, effectively countering its casting. The black-mana horse whinnied as its mana source was crushed, and the horse was blasted into vapors of black mana in a stunned Kelly's hand. Alpha promptly did the same for everyone else's creatures, countering their summoning. The counterspell also stunned the casters, frazzling their spell-casting abilities for now. Alpha went back over Viktor, relishing in his superiority.

"As for you, leader of the children, I reset your machete to an earlier state. You were going forward in a straight line with your machete raised, so I re-set the machete to a split-second's earlier state, which was right where you are. How does it feel to fall on your own blade, child?"

Viktor managed a spiteful laugh as his head started to grow light. "You stabbed me again, Alpha," he choked out, giddy with blood loss. "This time with my blade, as you've said. And you're even doing the kindness of explaining your power?"

"There is nothing you can do to stymy or redirect my ability," Alpha boasted angrily. "I want you to feel the despair of knowing your enemy, but failing to slay him!"

"Then try this!" a new voice cried, and Epsilon leaped through the air with a fastwalk, closing the distance between him and Alpha in a split-second. Epsilon swung his ivory blade through the air with incredible force, aiming right to Alpha's neck. Alpha raised his left arm to block, letting his wrist take the brunt of the sword strike. Mana sparks flew from the point of contact and Alpha's arm trembled from the effort of resisting Epsilon's sword, but he kept his ground.

"You again," Alpha commented, sounding amused. "How many times will you try and fail to defeat me, Epsilon? Even with Gamma's power in you, you are helpless before me. I have power you cannot even dream of obtaining."

Epsilon glared back. "I don't want your power, slave of Elena. I want you dead!"

"That's another thing you'll never have," Alpha retorted, vanishing from sight as he teleported in a flash of blue mana. The vampire spirit re-appeared right behind Epsilon, thrusting his hand forward to gouge out Epsilon's flesh with his claw-like fingernails. A plant warrior was summoned to block the blow, and Alpha's hand plunged into the plant's tangled body of vines and flowers. Alpha fought to get his arm out as the plant released acidic pollen, and Epsilon took his chance. He swung his blade again, slicing Alpha's shoulder, landing his first real blow against Alpha in some time.

"Not too bad," Alpha conceded as several more plant warriors were brought over to surround Alpha. "but not good enough!" Alpha raised his mana-leech aura, withering all the plants as he drained their mana. He poured the mana into his own body, using it to heal the wound that Epsilon had given him. Then, he did the reality warp again on the plant that held his hand, forcing it back to its moment of being summoned.

"I won't give you any respite, creature!" Epsilon swore, thrusting his hand forth. "Freezing Attack Level 2!"

"Ah, Gamma's power," Alpha commented before he vanished, teleporting out of the way. Epsilon's Freezing Attack went through empty air, the blue-white mana spell striking the ground harmlessly. Epsilon landed on the ground, bringing his plant warriors close as protection. He swiveled his head this way and that, searching for where Alpha would appear from next.

He got his answer: from above.

"Too weak!" Alpha derided Epsilon as he landed, crushing Epsilon against the ground and tossing away the ivory sword. Alpha flared up his mana leech aura again, weakening the surrounding plants. Restraining Epsilon, Alpha exposed his enemy's neck and prepared to bite, exposing his long, pointed fangs.

"Epsilon!" Devin cried, sending a super-powered Branching Bolt at Alpha. Makoto added his Comet Storm to the mix, sending red-hot space rocks crashing down all over the place. Alpha weathered the storm, but was unable to do anything besides defend himself from the barrage of red mana-based attacks. Kelly added her Consume Spirit, sending tendrils of hardened black mana at Alpha while Ashley cast Curse of Chains, pinning Alpha down with blue and white shackles.

"Easy," Alpha muttered, after taking a pounding from the combined assault. His body was beaten up from the attack, but now it was his turn to hit back. He raised both arms and used his reality warp with both hands, reversing the spells back into their casters' cards. His body started to mend the damage it had taken, but it didn't heal completely, making Alpha frown in irritation.

"Now, Devin!" Kelly cried, urging Devin to carry out the plan she had told him while the spell barrage was being cast. Devin nodded and used Reverberate, which was a red Instant that could copy an instant or sorcery spell and choose new targets for the copy. Alpha's reality warp was the target, and Devin aimed his borrowed reality warp at the dying Viktor, throwing the bizarre blue magic spell at his friend.

The borrowed reality warp washed over Viktor, restoring him to an earlier state: before he had tried to attack Alpha, which meant that his injuries were mended and that his spend mana was restored. Viktor blinked and shakily got back up to his feet, amazed at what had just happened.

"A minor success," Alpha growled, throwing his counter-magic at the kids' cards to cancel the spell barrage that was restarting. Viktor cast his Cancel, disabling Alpha's spell to allow the re-cast Comet Storm, Branching Bolt, Consume Spirit, and Curse of Chains to resolve. The combined force struck the area all around Alpha, and he used his mana leech aura to stave off the worst of the damage. He couldn't stop it all, however, and his body sustained further damage. Then, Epsilon came up from behind, gripping his sword.

Epsilon's sword thrust missed, but it did force Alpha to use another teleport, delaying a teleport tactic for another 5 seconds. Alpha re-appeared and tried to swing at Epsilon, but a few of Epsilon's plants got in the way to block the attack. Alpha's claw attack easily tore the plants apart, but it gave Epsilon a chance to throw a Freezing Attack Level 2, freezing Alpha for just a few seconds. Normally, Freezing Attack Level 2 would restrain a foe for several minutes, but Alpha's tremendous power wouldn't allow the freezing to go on that long.

"Take... that!" Epsilon grunted, slashing his sword across Alpha's chest, gashing a huge wound across his enemy and spurting blood into the air. Alpha winced at the pain, and Epsilon raised his booted foot to kick Alpha away. The vampire spirit was sent flying and crashed to the ground, tumbling across the ground until he came to a halt. He lay face-down, not moving an inch.

"Now to finish it!" Epsilon roared, fueled by his successful attacks. Ashley shouted a warning, but Epsilon would not be stopped; he fastwalked right over to Alpha, raising his sword for the finishing blow.

"Still a fool, I see," Alpha grinned, springing to his feet much faster than Epsilon expected. He seized Epsilon's arm halfway through a sword strike, disabling Epsilon's attack. Panicking, Epsilon tried to punch Alpha with his other hand, until Alpha caught his hand and tried to crush it.

Only the arrival of Sarkhan's dragons kept Alpha from breaking Epsilon's wrist and hand. The dragons bathed Alpha in fire, forcing him to teleport away. Alpha re-appeared a dozen steps away, incensed.

"Let me show you -" Alpha started, raising his hand to warp Sarkhan. Before he could, an otherworldly bellow shook the air, chilling everyone to the bone. Everyone, even Epsilon's plant warriors, turned to see Viktor's Ulamog's Crusher standing there, the towering 8/8 Eldrazi spoiling for a fight. The faceless monstrosity lurched forward on its mass of tentacles, reaching out with its humanoid arms to crush the relatively tiny Alpha flat.

Alpha teleported into the air right in front of the Crusher, only feet away from its faceless, bony head. The Eldrazi rumbled and backed up, giving it enough room to swing. Devin's Shock distracted Alpha for just a second, giving the Crusher enough time to swing its arms. Its Annihilator effect came into play, making Alpha start to dissolve into ashes. Flakes of gray ash peeled off of Alpha's skin from the nightmarish effect, making Alpha curl up in midair to resist it.

"Okay! Now crush him! Do it!" Viktor yelled up to his Eldrazi, and the huge Crusher nodded and brought its hands together to swat Alpha like a bug. Ashley's Withstand was cast onto the Crusher's hands to protect it from anything Alpha tried to do. The Crusher's hands clapped onto Alpha, squashing him. The Crusher rumbled deeply with satisfaction as it parted its hands to examine its handiwork.

"Not too bad, big one," Alpha commented, who was not very crushed. His body trembled from the force that had hit him, but he was able to fight back. He flashed forward in a blue-black fastwalk and plunged right through the Crusher's head, tearing a hole through it. The Crusher bellowed and crumbled back, clutching at its injured head.

"And now for you," Alpha glowered, looking down at Sarkhan. He teleported right in front of the dragon-worshiping Planeswalker, taking him by surprise. Before anyone could react, Alpha raised his hand to Sarkhan's face and used his reality warp, capturing the Planeswalker in its awesome power.

"Sarkhan!" Ashley cried, but she had her hands full trying to mend the Ulamog's Crusher's head with Holy Day. Gerbie and Ike emerged from their respective pockets to cry out Sarkhan's name, but it did no good.

"Go back to where you came from. Enjoy starting it all over," Alpha leered at the terrified Sarkhan, and the Planeswalker vanished from sight, not a trace left of him.

"You! What did you do to him?" Kelly shouted. "Where did he go?"

"Back to his home Plane. I re-set him as far back as I could," Alpha answered simply. Everyone, even Epsilon and Ulamog's Crusher, were wary of attacking Alpha now.

"What... do you mean...?" Viktor gasped, realizing what Alpha had done.

"That's right," Alpha nodded with satisfaction. "I have the power to affect the space and time of an object or person to put them back in an earlier state. For Sarkhan, that is the moment of his creation."

"H... _huh_?" Devin squinted, not understanding.

"It's simple," Alpha elaborated haughtily. "Sarkhan is back home with his family. His mother is giving birth to him right now. He is of no further danger to me, and of no further assistance to any of you. What could a newborn with a dormant Planeswalker spark possibly do?"

_No way... Sarkhan got warped all the way back to being born? _Viktor was astounded, feeling light-headed once again. Ulamog's Crusher didn't understand a word of this, but the towering Eldrazi managed to restraint its "attack each turn if able" effect by Viktor's will.

"And now... your turn," Alpha said. "Go back to where you came from, children."

"_This _place," Elena added, walking forward to join the battle with a big smile. She spread her harms wide, and a series of huge, purple portals appeared in the air. Viktor looked into them, and saw sprawling cities on the other side. Skyscrapers, apartment buildings, and city streets were at the other end, with countless cars and people in them. Earth!

"This Plane is called Earth, isn't it?" Elena glowed. "My conquest of the Multiverse is impossible to stop now! I will now conquer this Plane called Earth and make it mine! It pays to be thorough. Watch."

Viktor could only watch as thousands of Enslaved creatures were summoned, and they all went through the portals to reach Earth. Countless dragons, demons, elementals, goblins, and wizards started rampaging around the cities, wreaking havoc.

"How do you like that?" Elena taunted. "Major cities all across Earth are being ravaged! When the native humans are gone, I will establish my rule on Earth. Potentially, any human there with enough willpower can use those cards to oppose me. No more! Look at how much power five card-using kids have. I must destroy the source."

"You demon!" Kelly shouted. "You... everyone... our families..."

"Calm yourself, child," Alpha said, walking forward and raising his arms. "This Earth is being ravaged, but you won't ever see it. I'm warping all of you back to an earlier state on Earth, where you'll be trapped forever! _This _Earth will fall, but you'll be in a different one. This is a permanent farewell."

"No –!" Viktor started to protest, but there was no resisting Alpha's plan. As cities across Earth were being ravaged by creatures from the Multiverse, Alpha fired up his reality warp, which enveloped Viktor and his friends in dark blue mana. The last thing Viktor saw was Epsilon leap forward to attack Alpha with his ivory sword, before Viktor was whisked away from Jund and lost consciousness.


	39. Chapter 39

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 39

The clock radio blared on its music, startling Viktor Dimitrov awake. He snapped his eyes open in irritation and he reached over in his bed to slam his open hand down on the button to shut the darn thing off. Blinking in the bright morning light pouring in from his bedroom window, Viktor sat up straight and stretched, enjoying the feeling. Shaking his head to clear it, Viktor slipped out of his bed and got his robe on over his sleepwear. He looked out the window at his neighbor's front lawn, watching the old man mowing the grass with his new lawnmower. The machine made a distant but constant hum as it operated.

Viktor looked over at his desk. There were a few textbooks, notebooks, and many random loose leaf papers on the wooden surface, but there were a large number of trading cards there, too. On the back of the cards were written the words "Magic: the Gathering." It was Viktor's favorite trading card game to play, and he had a number of friends in town who liked to play it, too. Sixty of the cards were arranged into a deck, with assorted blue and green cards in it. Viktor's favorite Magic card was on top: a Thorn Elemental, 7th Edition version.

_Ha ha. Wouldn't it be funny if the Elemental in it came to life somehow? _Viktor thought with amusement as he picked the card up, examining the picture's fearsome subject. _It'd scare everyone in town! I might daydream that if I get too bored at college today._

Then Viktor remembered what day it was today: Thursday! His heart leaped into his throat as he realized what that meant. _Yikes! My English paper is due today! _Viktor thought as he set down his Thorn Elemental card and frantically searched his backpack and desk for the cluster of papers stapled together. Luckily, he found the paper, which had been stashed in the top drawer of his desk, right on top of a notebook. Viktor breathed a sigh of relief and put his paper into his backpack, then got dressed and went down the stairs to get to breakfast.

"Good morning, Viktor," his mother greeted him in Bulgarian, their mother tongue, as he entered the kitchen.

"Morning, mom," Viktor responded in kind, settling onto a chair at the table. "Didn't we agree to practice more English at home?"

"I'm... still working on that," his mom answered with slight embarrassment and a laugh. "You kids learn much faster than adults."

"Watch it. I'm 20, remember?" Viktor grinned, digging into his breakfast. "Come on, just try it."

"I am not as poor at talking English as you think it is," Viktor's mom told him in slowly in English, then smiled and returned to Bulgarian. "Well? How was that?"

Viktor fought to keep his face straight. "Keep trying, mom. You're doing better all the time." _Well, I ought to cut her some slack. It's only been a year since we moved here to the United States from Bulgaria. Grandfather Georgi still lives there. He ought to visit sometime._

*o*o*o*o*

"So, who will read the next passage?" Professor Smith asked the English class. In the third row, Viktor raised his hand.

"I'll do it, sir," he said.

"All right, then, Viktor, fire away," the professor said. The man was fairly laid-back for a college professor; some of the older ones disapproved of him, but he didn't mind that. He was just over thirty, only a decade older than his sophomore English Studies students. Viktor was one of his favorites: though Viktor was Bulgarian, and came to the United States from Bulgaria with his mom to study, Viktor was the favorite. In fact, Professor Smith owned a game console at his home, and shared a few games with some of his students. He wasn't delinquent, though; games didn't get in the way of English.

Viktor read the passage out loud, about Lenin's Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917. The wording was set up to make it difficult to decipher the meaning of the words, but for a student with English as a second language, Viktor did impressively. When the bell rang for classes ending, Viktor gathered his items and put them in his red backpack, and started to head out the door.

"Just a second, Viktor," the professor said to him. Viktor stopped, and the teacher said, "I hear that you play a card game with friends of yours. What can you tell me about it?"

"It's called 'Magic: the Gathering'," Viktor said, hefting his backpack to a more comfortable position. "You play spells and creatures, trying to take your opponent's life total from 20 to 0. Why do you ask?"

"I might be interested in picking it up," Professor Smith grinned. "I'm stuck in Final Fantasy XII; my quests are too difficult and leveling up is way too slow at this point. Maybe I could find a starting deck, and you and Devin could tutor me. Sound good?"

"Yeah, that's great," Viktor grinned. "We've been wanting new players for a while. Okay, this weekend, we're going to the game store."

"I will see you there," the professor said, then left to talk to other students.

_I know it. I just know I did something wrong in that paper, _Viktor couldn't help criticizing himself in his head as he left the English class. _The teacher mentioned all kinds of things I didn't have in my paper. Well, maybe next time._

"Oi, Viktor! Over here," Viktor's friend Devin called over in the crowded hallway, and Viktor steered toward his blond freshman friend. "Any plans today?"

"Um... not that I know of, no," Viktor shook his head. "My history teacher might want to start playing Magic this weekend, but I don't have any plans for today."

"Well, in that case you can join me at Makoto's house today," Devin offered. "Kelly and Ashley will be there, too. Interested?"

Viktor was eager to go anywhere Kelly was. "Sure thing. I'll be there."

*o*o*o*o*

As the days went by, Viktor enjoyed his ordinary college life in the United States, and chilling with his friends outside of class. He particularly liked being around Kelly, a high school senior who captivated him. Six days after going to Makoto's house, Viktor had visited the sisters Kelly and Ashley at their apartment, since it had been so long since we went there.

"Now, take these leftovers home to your family, okay?" Ashley asked Viktor late in the evening of his visit. She packaged the leftovers of her homemade dinner into a container for Viktor and handed it to him. "I'm sure they'll like it as much as you did!"

Viktor accepted the container with a small laugh. "Don't worry, they will." _Well, Ashley's dishes are kind of weird, but they don't taste bad. _He made his way to the door, getting his shoes on. "Thanks for having me over, girls. It's been a while." Viktor could hear the TV going in Ashley's dad's room.

"Anytime, Viktor," Kelly smiled as she hugged him good-bye. "If you don't mind my asking, you seem happiest when you're here with just us. Any reason for that?"

"Oh, come on. I like all my friends equally," Viktor teased her, but he knew that she could see the sparks. _Kelly's such a nice girl. _"Good night."

"Nighty-night!" Ashley hugged him good-bye, and Viktor exited the room and took the elevator to the apartment's ground floor. He exited the building and walked across the dark parking lot, breathing in the cool evening air.

His stomach churned. _Why do I keep getting this feeling? This sensation like something's missing, like I'm forgetting something important. I get it off and on, and I had it the whole time I was at Ashley and Kelly's apartment._

Viktor tried to relax. _Maybe I'm just stressing out about college. There's a lot to keep track of when it comes to that. Whatever._

*o*o*o*o*

A few days later, Viktor still had that feeling that something was wrong, but he could not place what exactly it was coming from. From day to day, he started seeing strange new people in his town, folks he hadn't seen before. While waiting at the bus stop to go to college, he had seen a regal-looking man with long blond locks walking by, clad in a dark green and gold suit. _He looks like a fan of the Green Bay Packers, _Viktor winced, aware that his home state wasn't very close to Wisconsin. The man drew a few funny looks but he ignored them, although he did shoot Viktor a quick glance before walking on by. Viktor got onto the bus feeling quite disturbed. _Why do I feel like I should recognize him?_

Then, after that day at college, Viktor had swung by the card shop to see what was new, and in there he found a bulky man and a sinister-looking woman having a conversation, where the man was railing on about nature conservation. The man had a thick neck and a scraggly beard, and the woman's long hair was black except for white highlights. _Is this any place to talk about that? _Viktor wondered, until the man and woman left the card shop in a hurry.

"Come on, kid. You shouldn't stare, all right?" the card shop owner asked. Viktor did a double take as he realized that it _wasn't _the usual card shop owner. This was a new guy, and his shoulder-length gray hair, vivid orange eyes, and black leather clothing made him look like a metal fan rather than a hobby store owner.

"Wh... who are you?" Viktor asked nervously, approaching the man. He averted his eyes to the cards under the glass.

"Who am I? I'm the new employee," the man answered with a toothy grin. "And who are you?"

"A regular customer. Viktor Dimitrov," he introduced himself, scanning the Zendikar cards. "I'm looking for a card for my friend. Here it is..." he found a Sorin Markov card, a Zendikar mythic rare Planeswalker. Then he realized that the new employee looked exactly like Sorin. And that the man and woman had looked kind of like Garruk and Liliana.

Viktor stumbled back. "What... what the hell is going on?"

"What's going on? Nothing is," the new employee shrugged widely. "What's going on with _you? _Are you sure you should be here? Maybe you have an appointment elsewhere."

"Y... yeah. I'll be seeing you, new guy," Viktor said with rising panic, then turned and bolted from the card shop. As he ran for the bus stop, he shot past a man with a blue coat, the hood settled on his head. Past that man was a woman who wore goggles on her forehead, and her vivid red hair flowed back over her head.

"What is going on here?" Viktor tried to calm himself down. "Now a Jace and Chandra look-alike... maybe there's a convention going on and I didn't know about? Yeah, that's it... haha..."

The feeling that Viktor didn't belong here intensified, a dreadful feeling that clutched at his stomach like a boa constrictor. Was this all a dream? Was he losing his mind for some reason?

*o*o*o*o*

All the strange things that were happening came to a head a few days later on the weekend. Viktor had had the day to himself, and in the late evening he was walking back home by himself. In the evening twilight, the front lights of a convenience store shone brightly, nearly blinding him. Shielding his eyes, Viktor went inside to find a few things to munch on during the walk back home. He pushed open the glass front doors of the store with his items in hand, but nearly dropped them in surprise when he heard sudden shouting to his left.

"Will you quit following me! I'll call the cops if you don't!" a familiar voice demanded, and Viktor wheeled around to see a person being chased to the back lot of the convenience store by several others, everyone making a mad scramble. Viktor held himself back, heart hammering. _Is someone getting mugged? Or attacked? What should I..._

"Get outta here!" the victim shouted, and Viktor realized that it belonged to Devin. Dropping his purchases, Viktor hurriedly dialed 911 on his cell phone, informing the police where this event was taking place. As soon as he snapped the phone closed, however, a sudden blow from, behind made him drop the phone.

"You weren't calling the police just now, were ya, kiddo?" a gruff but excited voice said from behind Viktor. The attacker's blow had driven Viktor to the pavement, and he scrambled over to see his attacker, a towering and bulky man with wild hair like animal pelt.

"I-I wasn't -" Viktor sputtered, but the attacker wouldn't listen. The big man seized Viktor by the collar and dragged him over to the other attackers and Devin, against the back wall of the convenience store. There were four other attackers, plus Devin. Viktor realized that Kelly, Ashley, and Makoto were here too, their backs to the wall.

"What do you people want?" Makoto shouted at them.

"We found you wandering around on our turf. Very disrespectful of you," one of the other thugs glowered, his blue and black hoodie hiding his face in the gloom.

"What? Are you some gang? Give me a break," Kelly bit back, until another one of the attackers slapped her.

"You kids had better learn your lesson! You're wandering around trying to interfere with our work, but that ends now!" the thug roared. His jacket was black with red highlights, and his black hair was slicked back. The thugs started to pummel the five kids.

_What? This doesn't make sense! What are they doing to us? _Viktor winced as he tried to shield himself from the attacks. _This is like a bad dream, unless... this _is _a bad dream. I –_

Viktor was sore and frightened from the attacks, but the thugs' next few blows never landed on him. With a heaving grunt, Viktor pushed back, and green and blue energy flared up like magic all around him, taking everyone by surprise.

"What? He shouldn't be able to do that!" one of the thugs, with a white and blue polo and long blond hair, growled. "Kick his ass!"

"Why are you even attacking us?" Viktor growled back.

"Because... because we have to! It's our obligation from our mistress!" the fifth thug stuttered. He wore a green and white striped polo, and now Viktor was starting to see te pattern. _Blue and white... red and black... green and white, a gang of five..._

"You all are in the way. We have to get rid of you!" the big thug declared, cracking his knuckles. Viktor noted that the shirt under his brown jacket was red and green striped. _And hair like an animal pelt, Delta... what? Why did I think Delta? The thug in the lead, with the black and white, Alpha... who?_

The leader in the blue and black spat on the pavement. "Forget the talk. Get them!"

"You don't even belong here," Viktor retorted, jabbing an accusing finger at the thug. His mind started to ache as strange memories and past sensations started flooding through his consciousness. He remembered a big black portal... a gigantic medieval city filled with magical beings and feuding guilds... an idyllic countryside inhabited with treefolk and giants... an alternate version of feudal Japan, with spirit beings and rat ninjas and human samurai... what was all that?

"Something's wrong, boss!" the red and green thug cried out as the earth started to shudder and the air started to shimmer and distort. It was as though the world was crumbling apart, and it was because of Viktor's own doubt.

"This world... isn't real. I was forced here, along with my friends..." Viktor muttered tensely, falling to his knees and clutching at his head. His friends rushed to his side, but they could not stop him. He knew that this was Earth, and that he lived here... but not _here, _on this exact Earth! A dam broke in his mind and the shuddering intensified. The pavement cracked and crumbled, the air seemed to tear at the seams, and reality started to twist inwards, trapping the ten people in a vortex of magic. _That's it! My friends and I were warped to the Multiverse when our cards activated some kind of Portal! These thugs... they're Earth versions of the Hunters! Let me see..._

"What are your names?" Viktor shouted at the thugs over the calamity.

"H-huh?" the one in the blue and white sputtered.

"Tell me!" Viktor roared back.

"I-I am Aaron," the blue-black one said uncertainly. "What the hell is it to you?"

"I'm Bert," the red-black one said.

"David," the red-green one said.

"Ethan." That was the green-white.

"And I'm George," the blue-white one said. "Why?"

As Viktor's doubt was completed, the vortex started pulling everyone inside like a black hole. _A, B, D, E, G... Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Gamma! Even their shirt colors match! They're the Hunters! _Viktor's eyes widened. _Oh! We were fighting on Jund to defeat Alpha and Elena, and Alpha did some reality warp on us to take us away from the battle! My doubt is breaking his hold on reality, though, and I bet Alpha was worn out when he did the reality warp on us. I think..._

By now, Viktor was too distorted to think any further, but there was no need. The ten people fell through what seemed like an infinite darkness, and then light and sound flooded Viktor's senses when he tumbled onto the dry, rocky ground of Jund. He groaned and tried to get his bearings back, then shakily staggered up to his feet. The black-white Maelstrom was right there, as was the vampire-spirit Alpha, Elena, and the slumbering Nicol Bolas. The Enslaved army and Planeswalker coalition were still waging war, though it wasn't clear who was winning. Viktor wheeled around and saw his friends there with him, shakily getting to their feet.

Then Viktor blinked his eyes and realized that Alpha was being attacked by Epsilon lunging at him with a sword attack. Viktor could only watch as Alpha and Epsilon struck each other simultaneously, Epsilon sinking his blade into Alpha's gut and Alpha digging his claws into Epsilon's chest. Both Hunters winced and drew back, bleeding onto the ground.

"You're weakening, Alpha!" Elena shouted over, annoyed. "And the children have returned! See? They broke through your warp!"

"What! That cannot be," Alpha hissed, holding a hand to his wound as he turned. He saw Viktor, Ashley, Devin, Kelly, and Makoto right there, and his eyes bugged out. "Impossible!"

"Better believe it," Viktor told him, drawing his stack of cards out of his pocket. "We're back, and we're not happy. Prepare yourself."

"Oh, I will," Alpha glowered, taking a few steps toward Viktor. He didn't notice that Elena took a few steps forward, too.


	40. Chapter 40

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 40

Viktor was prepared to fight, but he wasn't sure how much he would be up against. Alpha, certainly, but he felt a thrill of fear as he saw Elena take a few purposeful strides forward, her evil eyes staring at Viktor, or at least he assumed so. It almost seemed like Elena was glaring at Alpha's back, but Viktor couldn't dwell on that.

"Watch it. We've dealt some serious damage to Alpha, but that'll drive him only that much harder to slay us," Epsilon warned after he fastwalked over to Viktor's side, raising his ivory sword to a ready position. Several of his plant warriors surrounded him.

"True that. He's bound to fight like a pirate with his back against the wall," Viktor commented dryly, gripping his cards tightly as he watched Alpha and Elena advance. Kelly, Ashley, Makoto, and Devin prepared their decks too, but Viktor was ahead of the game: his Ulamog's Crusher was still here, and the huge Eldrazi was prepared to do battle.

"Crusher! Are you ready?" Viktor asked, craning his neck to look up at the Eldrazi's featureless face. The Crusher nodded, rumbling its bloodlust.

"Man, I'll never get used to that," Devin said with nervous humor.

"Focus!" Viktor warned his friend. The words were barely out of his mouth when Alpha teleported out of existence, re-appearing within whispering distance of Viktor. Snarling his fury, Alpha swept his clawed hand blindingly fast through the air, and only Epsilon's equally fast sword block kept Viktor from getting beheaded. Alpha's claws and Epsilon's sharp sword strained against each other, and both Hunters violently broke their deadlock, leaping back from each other. Three of Epsilon's plant warriors shot forth to attack Alpha, and were aided by Makoto's Unnatural Speed.

Alpha simply raised his mana leech aura to wither the plants when they got close and halt their attack, but Kelly took her chance to step in. Her Drag Down created a thick swamp under Alpha's feet, the mucky tendrils reaching up to envelope the blue-black Hunter. Viktor's Fighting Drake, augmented by Oakenform, joined forces with Devin's Inferno Titan to assault the trapped Alpha. Both creatures smashed into Alpha with titanic force, throwing a fierce gale from the point of impact. Everyone cowered and covered their faces, and when the dust settled Alpha was missing.

"You're not bad... children," Alpha gasped, when he re-appeared a short distance away. The vampire spirit clutched his stomach and doubled over as he talked, but there was still a gleam of defiance in his eyes. "Your creatures grazed me before I could escape. They, however, cannot escape their doom."

"Huh?" Viktor whipped his head over to the Fighting Drake and Inferno Elemental, both of which blinked blankly before they cried out and started writhing in place. Viktor saw the cause: Rho's acid spores were in the air over the swamp, and Viktor guessed that Alpha had released them right before teleporting away. Ashley hurried forward to help the creatures as their bodies were corroded, but two large wounds appeared on their chests, crippling them further.

"I gave them each a good slash with my knife, too," Alpha gritted out, and both the Drake and Titan fell dead and dissolved away.

"Freezing Attack Level 2!" Epsilon shouted, throwing his Gamma-based power at Alpha before anyone else could do anything. Alpha raised his mana-leech aura to wither the attack, and both the Freezing Attack and the aura clashed against each other.

_Alpha must indeed be weakening if he needs time to hold off a Freezing Attack Level 2! _Viktor thought, elated at the sight of weakness. Elena was still coming closer, but Viktor tensed his muscles as he prepared to finish Alpha off first. Epsilon leaped forth with his plant warriors for the attack, and Viktor sent forth his Crusher to help. Devin's Volcanic Dragon, Kelly's Nightmare, Ashley's Baneslayer Angel, and Makoto's Takeno, Samurai General all joined the fray. Once again, Viktor had to brace himself against the resulting collision, actually casting a Vine Trellis to protect him and his friends from the force.

"Did... did we get him?" Makoto asked uncertainly, peeking around the corner of the Vine Trellis. He looked hopeful, but then his face fell. "Oh, what the hell? Guys!"

_What? What is it? _Viktor thought frantically as he got around the Vine Trellis to see what the big fuss was about. Everyone else joined him to see that Elena's right arm had grown huge, a mass of body parts and assorted flesh. This gigantic arm had clamped down on where Alpha had been standing, a cocoon of flesh. All of the assault creatures had been stymied by it, frustrated that Elena had stopped them.

"Elena the Defiled One! You dare interfere?" Epsilon roared, pointing his ivory sword at his former master. His surviving plant warriors thrashed in place, sharing Epsilon's anger.

Elena looked over at Epsilon and burst into laughter. "Why yes, good Epsilon!" her humored expression changed into malice in an instant. "Alpha was a great warrior, but he is slowing me down. I'll finish you all myself! Let's absorb a Hunter."

_She's going to absorb Alpha and get all his powers on top of her own? No way! _Viktor mentally defied Elena, shouting for his Crusher to resume the assault. The towering 8/8 Eldrazi growled its agreement, swinging its arms to Annihilate Elena's vastly oversized arm. Particles of ash drifted from the arm, but not nearly as much as other Annihilator victims. The other creatures hastily helped the Crusher, supported with Devin's Branching Bolt and Ashley's Arrow Volley Trap. Elena frowned in frustration as her giant arm withstood the assault, and the arm started to pulsate as the trapped Alpha was being absorbed.

Then, Elena's defenses came into play. A thick, purple tentacle shot out from within the cobbled-together arm, and the tentacle slapped aside Kelly's Nightmare with shuddering force. The magic horse was thrown though the air and tumbled away, scrambling back to its feet. Devin's Branching Bolt was re-cast and aided by Viktor's Convincing Mirage, using an alternate effect to duplicate the lightning. The combined electric storm stunned the purple tentacle, but not for long. The tentacle snapped out like a fleshy whip, smashing into Baneslayer Angel. Takeno drove his sharp katana halfway through the tentacle, intending to slice it right off. He was interrupted by a an insectoid limb sprouting from the giant arm, and the new limb tried to hack Takeno in half. Volcanic Dragon took the brunt of the attack to allow Takeno to cut the tentacle off, but then a swarm of humanoid limbs came out of the giant arm too, tearing the Volcanic Dragon apart piece by piece.

"She's one giant collage of creatures!" Epsilon cursed, watching the battle take place. "Thousands of body parts to use at her whims..."

Viktor watched his Crusher tear off some of the limbs on Elena's giant arm, but that only slowed her down. Barely even damaged, the arm lifted off the ground and swallowed up Alpha, a noticeable lump going through its length to the rest of Elena's body. Elena took a few step backs and smiled in delight as she successfully ate Alpha, ignoring the literal loss of limb she had suffered against the summoned creatures. The arm shrank back down to normal size, returning Elena to normal proportions. She stretched both arms, flexing her fingers.

"Well, that was most exciting, wasn't it?" she glowed. "Wasn't it?"

"Die, creature!" Epsilon shouted, fastwalking over to Elena swinging his sword. "Assist me, creatures!"

The creatures moved to help their Hunter ally, but a pair of huge white angel wings sprouted from Elena's upper back, and she flapped them to create strong gales and lift her body into the air. Epsilon and the creatures were thrown back from the gales, and Elena delighted in her power.

"Do not forget that I possess every creature type and power there is to be known!" she crowed. "Why, I am a living catalog of what the Multiverse has to offer! That is only fitting, as I am to be the master of it all. I would rule the Earth plane, too, but it looks dreadful to me. I'll simply have it destroyed."

Viktor clenched his teeth in frustration as he looked through one of the portals to see Enslaved creatures tearing apart cities from around the Earth. _We've got to stop her! The stakes have never been higher. But how? She has the power of countless creatures at her disposal!_

Right now, Elena's body looked normal except for the angel wings sprouting from her back, but Viktor knew that she could morph her body parts into whatever she wanted. Viktor and the others sent their surviving creatures after her, but Elena drifted higher into the air and stretched out her arms, splaying her fingers. Both of her arms expanded and stretched out, her fingers fusing into what looked like lizard-like heads. Viktor watched in horror as Elena's arms became dragon heads and necks, the heads blinking and opening their toothy maws.

The head on the left had red scales, but instead of fire, a cloud of spores were exhaled, and these spores washed over the creatures attacking Elena. The creatures cried out as the acidic spores started to dissolve their bodies. Acting fast, Ashley conjured up her Wall of Denial, spreading the Wall out like a bluish membrane over the creatures to protect them from further harm. Viktor's Vine Trellis spread over the Wall of Denial, reinforcing it further.

"Now! Hit her with everything you've got!" Viktor shouted to his friends over the din. He and the others whipped out their cards, but were too late. The other dragon head/arm exhaled a white, misty cloud that washed over the Wall-Trellis barrier, settling onto it like dust. The breath was in fact ice, and the Vine Trellis was frozen solid, brittle and hard. Makoto's Comet Storm flared up, sending dozens of flaming space rocks at Elena, only to be stymied by the flapping of her angel wings, sending the comets scattering everywhere and crashing harmlessly onto the ground. Meanwhile, Elena pointed downwards and flew down like a peregrine falcon, morphing her dragon heads/arms into the brawny, rocky arms of an earth elemental. Both huge fists slammed down one the brittle, ice-crusted Vine Trellis, making cracks spread out from the point of contact.

"Graaaah!" Devin yelled out, pumping his red and green mana into a Fireball intent on roasting Elena to cinders. He overtaxed himself, however, and fell trembling to the rocky Jund earth. Ashley rushed over to his side to help him with a Withstand, while Kelly used her Darkness card with an alternate effect. She infused Devin's huge Fireball with the flesh-rending power of pure evil mana, with veins of deadly black mana threaded throughout the Fireball. Makoto added his bit, casting Unnatural Speed onto the Fireball to speed it up.

_Now _that's _got to do some damage! _Viktor thought with triumph, watching the overpowered Fireball rage toward the distracted Elena. Just as the frozen Vine Trellis shattered and the Wall of Denial was disrupted, the uber-Fireball washed over Elena, arms, wings, and all.

Viktor ordered his Crusher to steer clear of the inferno, and the 8/8 Eldrazi was only too happy to escape the flames. It, Nightmare, Takeno, and Baneslayer Angel got back to their masters, leaving the pieces of Volcanic Dragon behind. The four powerful creatures stood their ground and waited to see what would happen. Then, a very familiar and unwelcome sound shuddered Viktor's eardrums: _CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK!_

"Ugh! What _is _that?" Kelly winced, falling to her knees and covering her ears against the deafening metallic clanks. It was like being inside a gigantic clock tower.

"Oh, no..." Makoto muttered, knowing as well as Viktor what was probably going on. Indeed, the uber-Fireball suddenly slowed down to a crawl, barely inching forward like a mass of molasses in midair. The outline of a huge, ghostly clock face was visible at the front of the Fireball, and Elena herself flew up from behind the Little Clock Slug, her angel wings flapping hard to keep her airborne.

"Not too bad, children!" she praised breathlessly, calling down to her earth-bound opponents. Her body was slightly burnt, her skin charred, even her angel wings. "You don't hold back or give me a chance, which I admire. Too bad, though, because _nothing _you do will be enough!"

She laughed, a horrible gloating laugh that churned Viktor's stomach. Not for the first time, a raging Epsilon stepped forward, brandishing his ivory blade with his plant warriors in tow. "I don't care what you say, demon! I'll destroy you! Get down here, why don't you!"

"Epsilon...!" Ashley warned him, knowing that acting without thinking would only get the gang killed fighting Elena, their biggest enemy. Unfortunately, Elena took Epsilon's words to heart.

"A demon, am I? I can arrange for that," Elena smiled form way up high above the slowed-down Fireball, then curled up into a ball and released a flare of white, blue, purple, red, and green mana, completely enveloped by the aurora-like curtain of mana. Then, she flew out of the aura and arrowed down at the kids, with a completely new body form.

She really was a demon!

"Holy Day! Rrrrrrgghhh!" Ashley shouted, straining to put all her energy into holding back the demon-form Elena with her heavenly magic. Elena's body resembled that of Rakdos, the Defiler's, but she had three whip-like tails that each ended in a huge blade. Elena's demonic body was caught in the huge glowing aura of blue-white magic, spitting mana sparks as she strained to get through and tear the kids and their creatures apart. She squirmed in the mana field, swinging with her huge black talons to hit her enemies.

"Get her! She's trapped!" Viktor cried, watching Ashley fall to the ground in exhaustion. _Damn it! We have to push ourselves to the limit just to stand a chance! We can't keep doing this. Isn't there a way to take Elena down without getting ourselves killed?_

Viktor knelt by Ashley to give her a Regenerate to replenish her exhausted mana stores. Devin was back in operation, and he bolted to his feet to help out his allies. While Nightmare, Takeno, Ulamog's Crusher, and Baneslayer rushed toward the trapped Elena, he summoned his Predator Dragon to help out and shot a Branching Bolt at both of Elena's eyes, hoping to blind her. Viktor's Cytoshape granted wings to Takeno, and Makoto gave his samurai an Indomitable Will to boost his already formidable fighting skills. Epsilon's plant warriors joined the fray, too, brandishing their thorny vines and acid pollen-emitting flowers.

"Grrraaaaagh! Foul things!" Elena cursed as the creatures harassed her while she was still trapped in the holy mana field. Takeno's sharp blade, the plant warriors' thorns, the Predator Dragon's fire, the Crusher's Annihilation, Nightmare's cursed hooves, and the Angel's blessed sword rained destruction on Elena's demonic body, tearing apart her skin and flesh. Elena wailed in a loud guttural tone as she was ravaged in the holy field, writhing harder than ever. She snapped closed her jaws, trying to bite the Predator Dragon in half. The dragon evaded the bite, but Elena wasn't done yet. When she opened her mouth, a spike-covered tentacle shot out, strangling the Predator Dragon around its long neck. Takeno came to its rescue, slicing off the tentacle with his mighty katana.

Ashley's strain showed on her face as she fought to keep the holy aura up, but her strength abandoned her. The Holy Day card's light faded away and the holy aura dissipated, freeing the demonic Elena. The vengeful shapeshifter wreaked havoc on her tormentors, using her demonic fire and claws to crush the creatures. Only Ulamog's Crusher was able to stand up to her, assisted by Viktor's Oakenform to boost its toughness. The wood-armored Eldrazi threw a punch that missed, and then Elena seized its outstretched arm and hugged it tight.

"Is she going to throw it over her shoulder or something?" Makoto wondered out loud, watching the Crusher and Elena grapple with each other. His guess was wrong, however – instead of harming the Crusher, Elena melted her right arm's flesh, fusing it onto the Crusher's wood-armored limb.

"What – no! She's trying to absorb the Crusher's body!" Viktor realized, taking a nervous step back. He dimly noticed that the battle around him was dying down, and that the Planeswalkers and Epsilon's now-ragged Azorius army carried the day. The last of Elena's present Enslaved creatures were hoarded onto a corner of Jund's precipice while the Planeswalkers massed around Viktor and the others.

"So, it's come to this," Ajani Goldmane commented grimly, watching Elena's progress with his one good eye. The Leonin twirled his double-ax in his furry paw; or rather, his broken double ax. One of the blades had been broken off in the battle.

Viktor nodded. "Yeah. It's just down to her now, but she's too much! Her shapeshifting..."

"Well, don't just gawk! Attack her! This is your chance!" Chandra Nalaar put in, rushing over to Viktor's other side on a surfboard of fire. The fiery woman was breathing hard from mingled excitement and exhaustion from the battle. She drew back her arm and flung a long fireball at the Elena demon. "Hey-yaaaaaah!"

"Not so hasty! We need a plan!" Ajani barked, throwing an arm in front of Chandra to stop her. He was too late, and the fireball was already streaking toward the demon Elena. Having no other choice, Viktor and the others threw their own spells at their arch-nemesis. Comet Storm, Fireball, Consume Spirit, and Curse of Chains were all cast in Elena's direction, while Viktor cast a Twiddle to break Elena's hold on his Crusher.

"Not so easy, little ones!" Elena rumbled in delight, waving a huge hand before the combined assault. Viktor's ears throbbed as another Little Clock Slug was cast, and the huge ghostly clock face absorbed all the magical spells, slowing them down to a crawl.

"Curse you, witch!" Epsilon roared, but it was no good. Elena tore off the Ulamog's Crusher's right arm and absorbed it completely, and the wounded Eldrazi stumbled back, bleeding dark green blood from its gaping shoulder wound. Meanwhile, Elena's own right arm started to morph and shift, growing longer and mottled gray and purple. The arm became a copy of the Crusher's own lost arm, and clearly had its same power. Elena stomped forward, sweeping her Crusher arm in a wide arc. The Planeswalkers cried out as her newfound Annihilator ability activated, proportionately powerful to her huge body and tremendous reserves of mana. It was all that Ajani, Elspeth, and Ashley could do to protect the Planeswalker army from destruction against the horrifying power.

"Got any... good ideas, anyone?" Devin gritted past the strain of resisting the Annihilation through the protective shield. "Huh?"

Jace had something else on his mind. "Where... ugh! Where is Sarkhan Vol, Viktor?"

"H-he was warped away by Alpha," Viktor gritted back, barely able to see Jace through the clashing mana. He held up a card and re-absorbed his wounded Crusher back into it. "Something about warping him back to his home Plane and reverting him back to an infant. He's just now been born."

"I see," Jace said slowly, sounding confused by his comrade's strange fate. "If we survive here, one of us can go and retrieve him. In the meantime, we need a strategy to defeat the Defiled One. Nothing else... urgh! matters right now."

Elena made a bellowing laugh. "No strategy can harm me!" she boasted, but her body's injuries were being aggravated by her overuse of the Annihilation. Even she was hard-pressed to harness the terrifying and alien power of the ancient Eldrazi. Clearly off-put, Elena stepped back and thrust her mismatched hands to the ground, pouring multi-colored mana into Jund's rocky surface.

"What now?" Kelly cried. The protective mana shield was still up, but wavering.

"If I were to guess, she's going to release Naya, Jund, and Esper and put them into the Maelstrom to harness the full power of Alara's five shards!" Jace shouted, and he was quite right. Viktor watched as the distant Naya and Esper shards started to drift forward like earthen battleships in invisible water, approaching the incomplete Maelstrom at a slow but accelerating pace. The Maelstrom appeared to grow in size as Jund itself lurched forward, intent on joining its shard brothers at the nexus of power. Viktor didn't even pay attention to the Planeswalkers as they started to gather and do something with their combined power. Instead, he watched as Naya, Esper, and Jund joined with Grixis and Bant to complete the Maelstrom, adding their primordial green, blue, and red mana to the storm. At once, the Maelstrom flared up, pulsing like a huge heart with the mana added to it. Elena reached a hand into the swelling mana nexus, sighing in relief as she started to harness the Maelstrom's nearly infinite power.

She wasn't the only one.

"Could it be? My chance?" a certain Elder Dragon grated with dull excitement. Nicol Bolas had awoken, uncurling and stretching out his wings and tail. He yawned hugely and stood to his full height, managing to be even taller than the gigantic Elena. The Elder Dragon forced his age-tattered body forward, shuffling toward his long-awaited Maelstrom. He flared his wings completely out and took to the air, rising well above Elena.

"Not so fast! I will have this all to myself!" Elena roared, charging up green mana between her demonic horns. She fired a beam of superheated green mana at Bolas, and the Elder Dragon swooped to avoid it. He was a little too slow, and the beam grazed his left leg's haunch, singing off his scales and burning into his muscles. Bolas growled his discomfort but couldn't be stopped. Once he gathered enough speed, Bolas started to fly in orbits around the Maelstrom, opening his jaws wide. Mana started to peel off of the Maelstrom and flow into his mouth as though magnetized there. Bolas gulped the life-giving mana continuously, his body strengthening with each gulp.

"It's like an eating contest! I'm betting on Bolas!" Gerbie commented excitedly, squirming out of Elena's pocket to watch. He didn't want to miss this.

"Hey! The fate of the Multiverse is being decided, and you're making jokes?" Ashley protested.

"Hell yeah, baby! Wouldn't I? This is the best stuff!" Gerbie roared as loudly as his squeaky little voice would allow.

"He's so dumb," Ike yawned, as the little Simic gerbil emerged from Viktor's own pocket. "Seriously... wait. What is that, man? Check it!"

Viktor spun around, seeing Ike point in a certain direction. He gaped as he saw nearly every Planeswalker gather into a circle, their arms outstretched. All their different-colored mana was being poured forth into a sphere of pulsing power, growing stronger with each second.

"Hey. Are they making their own mini-Maelstrom to provide power against Elena's?" Kelly wondered, approaching Viktor's side to watch.

"Beats me," he shrugged. "I don't understand much of what's going on here. I feel so small."

"Join the club," Kelly said with a small grin that Viktor appreciated. Epsilon wasn't a part of the circle, but he watched as the hundreds of surviving Planeswalkers strained themselves to put even more of their mana into the orb of magic energy. The sphere was being compressed into a small size despite the amount of energy in it. It pulsated threateningly, but didn't burst or break apart.

"You're a fool, Elena!" Nicol Bolas shouted as he made yet another orbit around the Maelstrom. "You think you can devour this storm faster than I can? I have plotted for years to create this energy source! I won't let you take it from me."

Elena drove her arm deeper into the Maelstrom, grunting as she leeched more if its power. "Is... is that so, you big lizard?"

"Bolas! We need your help with this! Your power is the greatest among us!" Nissa cried from the Planeswalker circle. "Join us!"

"Oh, look! I was invited to a party," Bolas joked cruelly to Elena, apparently knowing something that Viktor didn't. "Very well, Elena. I have enough energy. The Maelstrom is all yours. I have something to attend to."

"Eh?" Elena wondered, but Bolas ignored her as he angled toward the Planeswalker circle and added his own blue, black, and red mana to the orb of mana. With his input, the mana sphere rapidly grew in strength.

"You Plane-skipping weaklings will owe me a lot for this," Bolas reminded the Planeswalkers as he settled down among their ranks to add his energy.

"Yes, Bolas," Jace grumbled. "Now hurry! We don't have much time."

"Hey. I want to know what the _heck _you people are doing!" Devin shouted, aware that Elena was almost done with the fading Maelstrom.

For an answer, the Planeswalkers poured the last of their mana into the sphere and collapsed as one, depleted. The orb of mana flashed white, then became steady, humming and buzzing with energy.

Nicol Bolas lumbered forward, enjoying the strength and smoothness of his movements with his rejuvenated body. He gingerly picked up the watermelon-sized mana orb with his huge talons, nearly dropping it.

"Is it hot?" Devin asked him.

"It is our key to destroying Elena once and for all, little monkey," Bolas rumbled, looking down at the tiny Devin, who didn't appreciate being called a monkey.

"But what _is _it?" Kelly shouted, impatient. Elena started to turn around to face the Planeswalkers, fully charged up with Maelstrom energy.

Nicol Bolas took a heavy step toward Elena, his feet talons digging into Jund's surface with ease. "This, card-children, is the incomplete Mana Detonator. A bomb."

"Of mana?" Viktor repeated faintly, aware of how much power had been put into it.

"Yes," Bolas nodded, "But it is not operational."

"Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Devin protested.

"Silence, morsel!" Bolas bit back impatiently. "The Key Creatures have to be cast into this Detonator to complete it. This is what the Key Creatures are for. This Detonator has been planned from the start, but only now do we have the means to use it correctly. Now! Cast your Key Creatures and charge the Mana Detonator with them! Before Elena destroys us all!"

"Oh, just you wait, dragon!" Elena huffed eagerly, charging toward Nicol Bolas. Her power was far beyond any other being in the Multiverse right now.

Without delay, Viktor whipped out his cards, frantically shuffling through them to get out his Thorn Elemental. He cast the wooden Elemental, admiring the thorny beast's size and ferocity. In short order, Kuro, Pitlord, Konda, Lord of Eiganjo, Isperia the Inscrutable, and Ryusei, the Falling Star joined the Elemental. The five giant creatures looked at each other blankly, not knowing what they were supposed to do against the super-charged Elena.

"Guys! Get into that mana orb Nicol Bolas has!" Viktor shouted at them. "Go!"

Of the five creatures, only Thorn Elemental responded, shuffling toward the Mana Detonator at Viktor's command. The Elemental poked its finger into the Detonator and was sucked in, converted into pure green mana as it went.

"Idiots! Order your own creatures to move! Now!" Bolas grated hysterically, aware that there was little time left; Elena was getting close. So, Ashley, Kelly, Makoto, and Devin ordered their Key Creatures into the Mana Detonator. Kuro was converted into sizzling purple mana, Konda into blinding white mana, Isperia into azure and gold mana, and Ryusei into fiery red mana. With the five new additions, the Mana Detonator pulsed with the five colors of the color wheel, doubling its strength in Bolas' hand.

"Now! I can... _finish it!" _Nicol Bolas roared in victory, charging toward Elena and clutching the Mana Orb to thrust into Elena's gut to destroy her. Chuckling, Elena considered what she was up against.

"Oh? Going to hurt me with that tiny ball of energy? You can barely even hold it!" Elena taunted Bolas, speaking of how miniscule the Detonator was in Bolas' scaly hand. Indeed, it looked silly to watch Bolas acting so bravely with such a little ball of mana in his hand, but Viktor knew that the Mana Detonator had a crazy amount of magic energy in it. He muttered his sincerest hopes that Bolas could finish the job, finding Bulgarian words come from his lips.

_Well, the mother tongue is the most comforting to me, _Viktor thought with a wry grin. He and his friends plus Epsilon watched breathlessly as Bolas and Elena closed in on each other, and Bolas grappled with the demon Elena to get the Mana Detonator onto her to decide the Multiverse's fate.


	41. Chapter 41

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 41

The Planeswalkers, or at least the ones who had survived the battle thus far, were all exhausted from their efforts against the Enslaved horde and from pouring their strength into the Mana Detonator, but they still found the energy to raise their heads and witness their strongest peer take the fight to Elena one-on-one. Nicol Bolas now literally held their fate in his huge scaly hands, and this devious, cruel, and powerful dragon was all that stood between Elena and complete domination over the Multiverse. In fact...

_Wait, _Viktor snorted in amusement and shook his head. _Here I am using dramatic words to describe what's going on. I've done all I can, leading my group to destroy the Hunters and gathering the Key Creatures. Now, I let Bolas take over. _He continued to watch Bolas charge at the huge, demonic Elena. _But then again, look at what's going on! I can't help but get worked up. Get her for me, Bolas!_

"Grrreeeaaaaaaagghh!" Nicol Bolas roared, raising his left arm like a shield as he collided with Elena, the two gigantic beings grappling with each other like Sumo wrestlers. Rainbow-colored blasts of mana sparked from their points of collision, each creature being a huge tank of mana and strength. Bolas lowered his head and pressed himself forward, his clawed feet digging into Jund's soil to push his bulk forth. He growled and bared his teeth, refusing to yield. Elena likewise stood staunchly, resisting Bolas with every shred of her formidable, Maelstrom-enhanced strength. However, a look of fear crossed her demonic face as Bolas' right arm inched closer to her gut, the Mana Detonator spitting sparks in his palm.

"You... won't touch me... with that!" Elena gritted, then slammed aside Bolas' left arm and grabbed his right wrist, bashing into Bolas and sending the scaly dragon tumbling to the ground, his right hand falling away from its target. Elena planted a foot on Nicol Bolas' chest, trying to crush him while he was still down.

"Bolas!" Ashley cried in concern for the Elder Dragon, but Bolas wasn't done just yet. With a hiss, he grabbed Elena's ankle and threw her over himself and sent her crashing onto the ground next to him, giving him a chance to scramble back to his clawed feet. He extended his hand with the Mana Detonator and lurched forth, a little wobbly. "Stand still, pest!" he thundered, but Elena pushed off the ground and clamored to her feet, her left hand flashing forward. Bolas was faster, and he spun around, his long tail whipping her hand aside and leaving her open. He lunged to slam the Mana Detonator onto Elena's body, and was defied yet again when her other hand flashed forth and her claws tore into Bolas' scaly skin.

Bright red blood gushed from Nicol Bolas' wound, alarming Viktor and the Planeswalkers who watched. The Elder Dragon clenched his jaw against crying out, stumbling against the wound as Elena's claws tried to dig deeper into his flesh.

"Give up, lizard! You can't possibly destroy me!" Elena shouted in glee.

"I... am... an Elder Dragon!" Bolas grated back, twisting away and swatting her arm away, blood dribbling down his heaving chest. "And you are an abomination!"

"Now that's not very nice," Elena taunted him, then charged at her wounded foe again. Nicol Bolas knocked aside one of Elena's arms and head-butted her, his twin horns scraping against her shoulder and tearing into her skin and flesh. Elena shook her head against the pain and sprouted a number of thorny tentacles from her chest, using her boundless bodily transformation to aid her. Bolas saw the tentacles coming and tumbled out of the way, allowing the tentacles to gouge into the ground instead. Conjuring dark purple and red mana onto his left paw, Bolas slashed at the taut tentacles, slicing several of them right in half. Elena howled and extended her right hand, growing a wide mouth onto her palm. The mouth opened wide and exhaled, spewing a cloud of red spores at Bolas.

"You're as disgusting as you are ingenious with your body, Defiled One," Bolas admitted, but he wasn't done yet. He slashed a paw through the air and flung a cloud of dark blue mana wisps, bursting the spores before they could reach him. Then, while keeping his right arm raised, Bolas opened his mouth and fired a thin red beam of mana at Elena, striking her near the heart, the beam boring into her body.

Elena staggered back, grimacing against the hot beam drilling into her chest. Plumbing the depths of her body-shifting, she hardened her chest's skin into brown plated scales, defying Bolas' red beam. The beam scorched against the plates and generated smoke, but didn't seem to make any progress. Growling in impatience, Bolas lunged at her again, but Elena raised a hand and smacked his head aside, making him lose his balance.

"Damn it. This is going to take forever!" Devin cursed, clenching his fists as he watched the two titans struggle against each other.

"I've never seen a battle this huge, this intense," Kelly said, ignoring him as she stared in awe at the fighters. "This is on a whole different level than anything we've done before."

"Yeah, no kidding," Viktor added, gaping. Makoto was equally impressed, but Devin was getting antsy.

"Perish!" Nicol Bolas demanded, infusing his left claws with black mana and gouging against Elena's plated chest. Her armor started to chip under his heavy blows, yet he was playing into her hands. Another thorny tentacle shot out from a destroyed plate and burrowed into Bolas' chest, gouging into his flesh. Grinning widely, Elena sent a bolt of multi-colored mana through the tentacle, coursing through Bolas' body and ravaging it from the inside, smoke coming from his scales. In agonized defiance, Bolas tore at Elena again with his left hand's claws, aggravating her wounds. Bolas was losing his strength, however, and his arms sagged, especially his right one, the one that bore the dense Mana Detonator. It fell to Bolas' side, far away from its target.

"D... die, creature!" Bolas growled in Elena's face, stubborn as ever.

"You die, lizard!" Elena spat back, and neither exhausted titan yielded to the other, but Elena had the advantage as long as Nicol Bolas couldn't hit her with the Mana Detonator. Finally, Devin had had enough.

"Hey. What are you doing?" Makoto yelped in surprise as Devin raised a card and cast his Volcanic Dragon, the beast's scales glowing with volcanic heat. Devin climbed onto the Dragon's back, looking down at his friends with a somber expression.

"Nicol Bolas might lose at this rate if something doesn't happen! I'm going up there to help set off that Mana Detonator no matter what."

Viktor's stomach clenched. "What? No! Get down from there, Devin! This isn't..."

"Earth is lost unless Elena is stopped, and we're nearly out of time," Devin shouted back over the din of Bolas and Elena grappling with each other. "I want to be useful here! I'm giving Bolas the helping hand he needs, right now."

"You're crazy! By yourself?" Viktor argued, gesturing.

"I've got wings, Viktor. Bolas needs the help, and I don't want anyone taking a risk in this battle."

Viktor shook his head, making up his mind. "No, Devin. You won't do this, all right?"

Devin looked shocked and confused. "But... how else can we get this done? I'm willing to take this risk and help out Nicol Bolas."

Viktor grinned up at his good friend, raising a card to eye level. "Come on, Devin. You think I'm _not _willing to take this risk? You think none of us are?"

"H-huh? Viktor..."

With a flash of bright blue mana, Viktor cast his Oakenform on the Volcanic Dragon, reinforcing the scaly beast with wooden armor. "If you're going, so am I. I've led us this far, right? My grandfather, Georgi, or Bardon if you will, helped make us into a fighting team capable of saving the Multiverse and our own world. Don't you think I deserve a shot, too?"

Devin was moved to tears, almost comical. He wiped his eyes on his sleeves. "O-of course, Viktor." He returned Viktor's wide grin. "Room for more, old pal. Ready to do some world saving?"

"I am," Viktor nodded firmly, and the Volcanic Dragon knelt to allow Viktor to climb on. Before he got on board the dragon, Viktor turned and extended his hand to Ashley. "You too, Ash."

"M-m-me?" Ashley yelped, flicking her eyes at the titanic struggle between Nicol Bolas and Elena.

"We need your protective magic, Ashley," Viktor told her gently, looking into her eyes. "You have a heart of gold, you know, and selfless resolve. But now, I need you to muster the battle courage I know you have, and help Devin and I take down Elena for good. Will you join me?"

Ashley's lip trembled, then she nodded, tossing her blonde hair. "Yeah. I will, Viktor! Make room on that dragon for me."

Viktor looked over at Kelly, who was watching her younger sister volunteer to risk her life to save Earth and the Multiverse. Kelly locked gazes with Viktor. "Vik, you'd better know what you're doing," she told him sternly. "Makoto and I will stay here, but... you bring back my sister in good health, okay? I'll never forgive you if anything were to happen to her. Or... to any of you."

Viktor managed a smile. "Don't sweat it, Kelly. We'll be back before you know it, okay?"

"Yeah," Kelly agreed, returning his smile. "And by the way, Viktor?"

"Huh?"

"That little speech to Ashley... you know how to say the corniest things."

At her words, Viktor winced, but it was no big deal. "One last thing, Kelly."

"What is it?"

"Earlier, before we left Bant, I told you I wanted us to spend some time together back on Earth when this is all over. Well... I'm keeping my word on that. I won't die here and let you down, understand?"

Epsilon, who was standing nearby, only scratched his head, not understanding. Kelly, meanwhile, blushed and tried to resist a smile. "I _know_, Viktor, and I'm looking forward to it. Enough silly stuff and get going, okay?"

Viktor jolted, suddenly aware of how much he was stalling. "R-right. Epsilon, Makoto, Kelly, I'm off."

Makoto nodded tersely, silently hoping for Viktor's success. He and the others watched Viktor help Ashley onto the back of Devin's Volcanic Dragon, and then the Dragon soar higher into the sky to Elena and Bolas.

Viktor resisted the urge to shout to Nicol Bolas as he drew closer to the Planeswalker dragon, but instead let Devin guide his Volcanic Dragon to Bolas' right hand where the Mana Detonator was. He had to squint as he got close to the bright, intense orb of mana in Nicol Bolas' clawed hand, the winds from the sphere buffeting him.

"Children! What is this?" Bolas demanded feebly, looking down at Devin's Volcanic Dragon by his right hand with the three kids on its back. The Elder Dragon and Elena were both injured and exhausted, but neither could finish their fight and unless Elena was destroyed now, her Enslaved horde could destroy all of Earth.

"Getting this Detonator onto Elena no matter what," Devin told Bolas, focusing the last of his red and green mana onto his skin to pick up the Mana Detonator. "We're going to help you finish this, Bolas. Cover us, would you?"

"Very well," Nicol Bolas agreed, and Devin gingerly took hold of the Detonator and held it to his side, making sure it was secure. Viktor accepted it from him, using both hands to keep a tight grip on the super-charged orb of Planeswalker mana.

"Okay. I'm going over to Elena! Cover me!" Devin called up to Nicol Bolas.

"You already said that, ape! But I will protect you," Bolas growled, and he pushed against Elena again to keep her occupied as Devin's dragon swooped over to her.

"What do the children think they is doing?" Elena laughed. "Nothing can hurt me! Least of all your little friends, Bolas!"

She bashed herself against Bolas, her claws digging into him and her face pushed close to his. Nicol Bolas welled up his remaining energy and released a burst of blue, black, and red mana that sent Elena stumbling back, stunned. Devin guided his Volcanic Dragon over Elena's head, then had the dragon settle onto her demonic head and disembarked, Viktor and Ashley right behind him. Viktor and the others knelt on Elena's scalp, carefully lowering the Mana Detonator toward her skin. He focused his blue and green mana, using it to anchor himself onto Elena's skin.

"Get off of me, whelps!" Elena cried, but before she could do anything Nicol Bolas dug his claws into her side, sending pale blue lightning into her, stunning her body.

"Hold still, now," Bolas huffed from exhaustion, staring Elena in the eye as Devin and Ashley helped Viktor secure the Mana Detonator. Devin pressed his hands onto the Detonator with his green and red mana, as did Ashley with her blue and white. The Detonator was firmly latched onto Elena's skin and started to change colors as it began the detonation sequence.

"No! Nooooooooooo!" Elena howled, trying to resist the weakened Bolas to free herself from her doom. Bolas hung on tight, refusing to yield while the Detonator drew closer to going off. He was weakening, though, and Elena's struggles started to grow more violent and powerful. Viktor felt himself starting to grow faint from the energy required to stay on Elena's skin, but the Mana Detonator would fall off and be useless otherwise. Instead, he focused on the mana orb before him, watching it change colors as it drew close to going off. However, Devin and Ashley were growing tired too, and Viktor knew that he and the others, and even the Mana Detonator, would be thrown off of Elena's head by her thrashing if he didn't do something fast.

"Vine Trellis!" Viktor commanded, casting what he figured would be his last card spell in the Multiverse. At once, a rush of thick leafy vines sprouted from his card, enveloping the Mana Detonator just before Elena's newest twitch broke it off. Quick to imitate him, Devin cast his Entangling Vines to reinforce Viktor's Vine Trellis, and Ashley's Curse of Chains finished the job.

"Now! W-we've got to get out of here!" Viktor stuttered from exhaustion as he rose to his feet, wobbling in place. _Gah! I'm too tired from the battle and from doing all this to keep going! _He gulped, hoping he didn't faint. Fortunately, Devin and Ashley were willing to help, boosting him onto the Volcanic Dragon's back and then joining him. Viktor looked over at the Mana Detonator, and it glowed brightly even through all the magical binds holding it down. By its intensity and pulsations, Viktor guessed that he had only seconds to flee.

"Come on! Let's go!" Viktor urged Devin, and he didn't need telling twice. Devin shouted a command to his Volcanic Dragon, and the obedient beast pushed off Elena's head and pumped its wings has hard as it could, taking to the skies. Viktor heard the final pulse of the Mana Detonator, and then the air started to heat up...

A bright flash was the first sign that Kelly, Makoto, and Epsilon saw that the Mana Detonator went off, a flash that blinded everyone on Jund. Then, the very air seemed to shatter as a sphere of molten, five-colored mana expanded from Elena's head, washing over everything within reach. Nicol Bolas released his paralyzing grip on Elena and pumped his wings with the last of his strength, rushing backwards as fast as he could. Luckily for him, he got clear of the worst of the detonation, and the shock wave from the explosion helped propel him further away. He tumbled across Jund's rocky soil, coming to a halt near the other Planswalkers.

Unluckily for Elena, she had no escape. The Mana Detonator was successfully set off right on her head, and the expanding cloud of seething destructive mana vaporized her instantly, not even giving her a chance to cry out as she was obliterated beyond physical substance. The cloud of mana expanded a little more, then lost its potency and collapsed, forming a huge cloud of multi-colored haze that hung in the air like an aurora. Through the mist, there was nothing left to indicate that there had ever been an Elena – or Devin's dragon. Only Nicol Bolas was left visible, lying on the ground near the Planeswalkers.

"Oh no... did they... did they not make it in time?" Kelly whispered, falling to her knees as she gaped at the misty fog that refused to yield any sign of her friends. She reached out with her magic power, trying to detect Viktor's or Devin's or Ashley's mana auras, but she felt nothing. Her lip trembled as the death of her sister started to weigh in on her mind. Epsilon stood silently as Makoto knelt by Kelly, trying to comfort his friend. "Kelly, it's okay, they're bound to just be hidden by the mist..."

"I-I can't detect them at all. I saw th-their dragon, and it didn't get far away enough from the b-blast radius!" Kelly wailed as tears started to fall down her cheeks. "N-no, they... Ashley..."

Makoto turned back to stare up at the huge cloud of multi-colored mana, then blinked when he thought he saw something red flash through it. _Was that my imagination, or...? _His heart leaped when he saw the object burst out of the mana cloud. _It is! They made it! _"Kelly! Look!"

Devin's Volcanic Dragon emerged from the cloud of mana left over from the Mana Detonator, the beast's scales not even singed from the terrific supernatural explosion that had taken place. Each of its three riders looked ragged and tired, but otherwise unhurt. In Ashley's hand, she still gripped the card that she had just used: Turn to Mists.

"They're okay! They're okay, Makoto!" Kelly exclaimed, strength returning to her brain and limbs as she leaped back up to her feet, exuberant. She shook Makoto's shoulder, hysterical. "They made it alive, Makoto! Look!"

"I know! I saw them first and then told _you _to look!" Makoto sputtered indignantly, but he couldn't help a wide smile that his three friends had survived the final battle against Elena, the Defiled One. The Volcanic Dragon circled around the sky like a vulture, then angled down to the ground and settled by its riders' friends, allowing its riders to disembark.

"Ashley! Viktor! Everyone!" Kelly cried, embracing her sister in a tight hug.

"Pretty great stuff, wasn't it?" Devin boasted with a wide grin, waving hello. To Viktor, me muttered, "She didn't say _my _name."

"But by 'everyone', that includes you, man," Viktor muttered back, then took his turn for a Kelly hug. "See, Kelly? I made it back okay."

"But how _did _you all make it?" Kelly asked in wonder, her gaze darting among the three survivors. The Volcanic Dragon yawned widely, then settled down to slumber.

For an answer, Ashley held up her Turn to Mists card. "Give me some credit, sis! I just turned the dragon and us three into mist! Easy! Though I needed a mana boost from Viktor and Devin to manage it."

"Nothin' to it," Viktor nodded, then settled down to sit cross-legged to avoid falling over from exhaustion. "It's done. Elena's gone."

"Indeed she is. Her evil aura is impossible to mistake, or to hide," Nicol Bolas added, lurching over to the kids, his fierce eyes dancing in their sockets. "She is absolutely gone, at last. The foul human who thought she had a right to rule all of existence... has been obliterated."

"Okay, we get it, we get it," Devin cried, but Gerbie squirmed out of Ashley's pocket and leaped through the air, hanging onto Nicol Bolas' scaly nose.

"Hey hey hey, big guy! You were pretty good back there, too! I was watching, you know, that was some prime-time entertainment," the little Simic gerbil squeaked, fearless against Bolas. "Do it again!"

"Elena is gone, and so will you be if you don't get off, pest!" Bolas thundered, and Gerbie chirped and leaped off him and landed on Ashley's head.

"Holy moley, fine," Gerbie said defensively, giving Bolas a reproachful look with his beady rodent eyes. "I was just saying..."

Now Ike emerged, poking out of Viktor's pocket. "Duuuuuuuude. He's never going to change, man," the little gerbil commented, until Viktor pushed him back into the pocket. "Well, neither have you, little friend."

"Hey! Look!" Kelly exclaimed, pointing at the sky. Everyone turned to see what she was making a big fuss about: Elena's purple portals to Earth, the gateways her Enslaved creatures had taken to reach the planet. Through the portals, everyone could see the Enslaved creatures halt their rampage and start to squirm, crying out and struggling as though they were all choking. As Viktor watched, the creatures started to crumble to ashes, falling apart and scattering their ashes everywhere. Every creature on Earth succumbed, even their ashes vaporizing into nothingness. After that, the portals themselves started to waver and crackle, losing their cohesion and collapsing. Each one fell onto itself, shutting off the view of the creature-liberated Earth one by one. When the last portal vanished, there was truly nothing left of Elena's attempt to conquer the Multiverse and destroy Earth.

"It looks like destroying Elena really did solve all our problems," said a new voice, and Elspeth Tirel joined the group, having walked over from the Planeswalker circle. Viktor looked up at the armor-clad Planeswalker lady knight, and also saw that the other Planeswalkers had risen and were approaching the kids as a group.

Elspeth stopped before Viktor, her hood down and her expression tired and stern. Viktor staggered to his feet to meet her eye to eye, but felt nervous until Elspeth broke into a wide smile.

"We have won, child! Rejoice, for we are saved! Actually..." Elspeth walked forward and clapped her hands on Viktor's shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. "No. No children could accomplish what you did today. You all are fine men and women, due the greatest respect us Planeswalkers can offer."

His anger rumbling like a thunderhead, Nicol Bolas snaked his huge horned head close to the scene, his orange eyes flaring his indignation. "Did your senses fail you, Elspeth? Did you not witness what I have done?" Bolas waved a scaly paw. "These children would have been turned to vapor if not for my efforts."

"He's the same as ever," Elspeth muttered, then waved a hand in return. "Yes, Bolas, you are due as much credit as can be given. Your return to strength proved instrumental in bringing about the Defiled One's downfall."

"That is a little better," Bolas humphed, backing away. He twitched his voluminous wings. "Now, I am tired, and have much to think about. I will go to my private sanctuary for some time. This is farewell, children."

With that, the Elder Dragon Planeswalker vanished in a flash of blue and purple mana, leaving a huge void where he had stood. Viktor found himself already missing Nicol Bolas, even though that dragon was self-centered, thankless, and brutal beyond compare. At least he had helped defeat Elena, though Viktor figured that Bolas would get around to his own schemes sooner or later while the Multiverse was still rebuilding from the war against Elena's Enslaved horde. _Well, that's just how it goes, I guess. The Multiverse is set back on track with Elena gone, and there's bound to be new battles to fight, new rivalries, new everything. I wonder if the Phyrexians will restart their invasion of Mirrodin, and if the armies of each shard of Alara will wage war like in the cards?_

"You seem thoughtful," Elspeth observed, her eyes on Viktor. He jumped, shaking his head. "It's nothing. I'm just glad we all made it out alive. At the very end there, I wondered if Devin and Ashley and I would escape the Mana Detonator in time."

"Dummy, of course I would make sure we got out of there safely," Ashley winked with a smile. Viktor returned the smile. "Sorry. Just the fatigue talking."

The other Planeswalkers arrived by now, ranging from the battle-weary Ajani Goldmane to the excited-looking Sorin Markov all the way to a passive-looking Karn. Chandra, for one, wasn't about to settle down just yet.

"Hey! Where'd Sarkhan Vol go? He ain't the type to get his butt kicked from a little battle like the one we fought!" the flaming Planeswalker demanded, looking around with a hand shading her eyes.

"_Little _battle?" Nissa muttered, annoyed.

"Well? Where'd he go? He wasn't there when we all made the Mana Detonator! I wanna know where he went!" Chandra persisted, irritating everyone here even though most of them also wondered about Sarkhan's absence. Viktor hurried to explain it to her. "One of Elena's minions, Alpha, warped Sarkhan through time and space back to his home Plane at the moment of his birth."

There was mingled awe, indignation, and relief from the Planeswalkers. "I never liked that boy, to be honest," an elderly Mirran Planeswalker mumbled, clad in platinum armor from head to foot, and his nearest peer agreed. Chandra did a double-take. "He's a baby again? _What_?"

"We don't need to stand around yakking about, you know," Garruk shouldered his way past the other Planeswalkers to address Viktor and the others. He looked impatient, his face visible due to his helmet being destroyed in the battle. "Someone ought to go get Sarkhan back, and the rest of us can get back to Bant, out stronghold. King Teramont will want to know about this."

"I'll do it," Elspeth volunteered, tapping the hilt of her sheathed sword. "Go on without me, everyone. I'll join you at Castle Haraven with Sarkhan."

"Then let's go. I'm simply _famished _after fighting so hard," Sorin said with a hungry gleam in his eyes, flashing his vampire fangs. Viktor dreaded to know exactly how Sorin would sate that hunger, but all the same, he and his friends allowed themselves to be taken with the Planeswalkers to Bant. Their Key Creature cards were deplete of power, so Tohru used one of his magic innovations to extend the group Planeswalk to the five kids and Epsilon, and the crowd was warped away from war-torn Jund to the kingdoms of Bant.

*o*o*o*o*

"I said I don't want to eat that! It looks gross!" Ashley complained yet again as Devin tried to offer her a strange platter of unidentifiable food at the celebration banquet in Castle Haraven. Every human-sized Planeswalker was here along with Viktor and his friends and Epsilon, chowing down in the castle's enormous dining hall. Live bands, magical light shows, endless great food, and the sweet taste of victory ran strong in the hall, making it a night to remember.

Devin couldn't stop grinning as he set down the plate. "Oh, fine. I think this stuff is meant for Viashino to eat anyway, not humans."

"What? Viashino? Who would eat their food?" Makoto wondered, squinting suspiciously at the twisted, charred animal flesh on the platter. As an answer, a Viashino Planeswalker down the table hissed at the kids, annoyed that the kids were making fun of Viashino cuisine. The lizard-man was clad in his battle-armor even at the dinner table, but no one made a fuss about it. Meanwhile, Devin had something else to offer Ashley.

"Well, you'll like this plate, then," he said, reaching out with both if his arms. The medical Planeswalkers had at last found a way to restore his missing arm to its original state, and he was fully enjoying having it back. Devin picked up a small platter and set it in front of Ashley. "Here you go!" On the platter was Gerbie, lying down on a bed of vegetables and with a cherry propping open his mouth like a miniature stuffed pig.

"Gerbie! No!" Ashley shrieked, clapping her hands over her mouth in horror at the fate of her gerbil pet. Then, Gerbie got up, chewing the cherry and swallowing it. "Chill out, Ash. I was only pretending! Pretty good, huh?"

"You scared me!" Ashley trembled, picking up her pet and holding him close. "That's not funny."

Gerbie peered up at her with a gleam in his eyes. "Oh come on, you thought it was."

"Well... yes," Ashley couldn't help a smile. "Little Gerbie lying down with a cherry. Did it taste good?"

"Not as good as the Proto-Plasmid-Nutrient-Converter cherries in the Simic vats, but it was pretty tasty," Gerbie said, smacking his lips. "How are you holding up, Ash?"

"Whew. I haven't eaten this much in a long time," she admitted, propping her elbow on the table and leaning on her hand, her eyelids drooping. "I'm tired."

"Yeah. Nighty-night," Gerbie said simply, then settled down on the wooden table's surface and fell right asleep.

Near the end of the banquet, King Teramont stood up, bringing silence to the hall. He straightened his robes, then spoke. "Everyone, for some time you have risked your lives and given it your all to resist the spread of Elena the Defiled One, and I ceaselessly provided you my castle and my army as a sanctuary during your selfless struggles. I daresay that this is a victory for all of us."

Everyone spoke their agreement, and when Teramont had silence he continued, "Each one of you is a hero, valiant Planeswalkers, but this victory could not have been achieved without the heroics of five young adults from a Plane they call Earth. People of Earth, will you stand?"

_He sure uses flowery language, _Viktor thought with a wry grin, but he and his friends stood up and were acknowledged by thunderous clapping and cheering. They stood back down, Viktor trying not to feel embarrassed.

"And, one other being is here today who should be noted," Teramont added. "A being whom we thought a roach to be destroyed, but proved to have a just heart and lent us invaluable assistance. I speak of none other than Epsilon, the Hunter who saw the light of reason and abandoned his foul master to join our ranks. His Azorius army proved essential to helping defeat Elena's mindless hordes, and for this contribution, we owe him our thanks. Give your salutations to Epsilon, good men and women."

Epsilon blinked and looked abashed as everyone turned to him and filled the hall with applause for their former enemy. Several of his plant warriors stood behind him, and to everyone's amusement, the plant warriors each took a bow to the applause.

"I didn't even know they could do that," Makoto commented.

"The Multiverse will never run out of mysteries for us, I bet," Viktor shrugged. "Even though we're leaving soon."

"We are? Man. This place was so much fun," Devin sighed, drumming his fingers on the table. "Even though we nearly died a bunch of times. But it was still fun!"

"As long as you enjoyed it," Kelly winked.

*o*o*o*o*

"Are you ready, Viktor? This is it, after all."

"Yes, grandfather. I've said goodbye to everyone I wanted to," Viktor said with slight exasperation in his private quarters that evening, his friends in tow. Gerbie and Ike were present, too, ready to take a one-way trip to Earth. As proven by earlier returns to Earth, both Gerbie and Ike could live comfortably there, unlike any other living things from the Multiverse. Gerbie had explained, rather belatedly, that every Simic Gerbil Pet had a self-contained mana-generating layer of cells under their skin, allowing them to survive anywhere as long as they ate food and drank water, which Earth certainly had. Plus, Ike had added one more rather interesting fact about the Simic Gerbil Pets: they lived for a hundred years.

"So, we're really not going to see this place again, are we?" Devin commented sadly, looking around the room. He peered outside the window at Bant's evening landscape, dotted with Rhox monk monasteries, training fields for knights, neatly-tended gardens, and tombs for famous knights and kings of the past. A pair of Aven warriors drifted across the darkening sky, their wings flapping regularly.

"Don't think of it that way, Devin," Georgi reprimanded him with a wave of the finger. He had his middle-aged Bardon appearance right now, but he would change back to the elderly Georgi Dimitrov back on Earth. "Better to think of this as a time to remember all the fantastic and wonderful things you saw and did in this realm, aside from the strenuous battles against Elena's minions. From Ravnica's urban spires to Kamigawa's beautiful temples to Lorwyn's idyllic countryside to Zendikar's exotic wilderness, you saw many things no one on Earth will ever know."

Devin looked moved. "Y-yeah, that's right." He pushed his hands into his pockets, grinning widely. "You're right, Georgi. I was one lucky dude to see all that great stuff. Thanks for bringing us along."

"And giving us a chance to save not only our home planet, but this wonderful realm, too," Kelly added. "At first, I resented being dragged into a magical war, but it was a learning experience, and we pulled through okay. I'm closer to all of my friends than I've ever been."

She spread her arms, resting them on the shoulders of her four friends. "I love you guys."

"Same here, baby!" Gerbie chirped, giving everyone a good laugh. The group broke up and Georgi produced his Pallida Mors card, one of the Elder Dragons and Nicol Bolas' ancient peer. With this card, he could warp himself and the five kids (and two gerbils) back to Earth on a one-way warp, back to the lives they had always known. Before they started, however, there was a knock on the wooden door.

"Who is it?" Viktor asked, approaching the wooden door and swinging it open. Both Elspeth and Epsilon entered the room, with Elspeth carrying a dark-haired infant in her arms in light blue blankets.

"Good evening," Elspeth greeted warmly, as she and Epsilon closed the door behind them. "I wanted to give one more farewell to you all, a personal one." She bowed her head. "By the grace of all the heavens, I give unto you all my deepest gratitude for all you have done for me, and for the Multiverse as a whole. The Planeswalkers will honor your names for all time, and never forget your heroic deeds no matter how much time shall come to pass."

She raised her head again, her eyes bright. Devin scratched the back of his head, and Makoto looked bashful. "Th-thanks for that, Elspeth," Makoto thanked her. He pointed. "By the way, who's baby is that?"

"You must have forgotten about this, but I do not blame you. You have been through a lot recently," Elspeth smiled, raising the baby a little higher. The young one looked at all the kids with curious eyes, then inexplicably, raised a hand in greeting. Viktor waved back, getting the feeling that this was no ordinary baby.

"This is no child of mine," Elspeth explained. "In my arms, I carry my peer, Sarkhan Vol. Remember that he was warped through reality by Alpha's strange powers? At least, that is what you told me. I was not present to witness it."

Memory flooded back to Viktor's mind, with Sarkhan getting enveloped by Alpha's wicked blue and black magic and taken though time and space to somewhere he couldn't fight Elena. "Oh yeah. That _is _him, isn't it?"

"What are you going to do with him?" Ashley asked.

"He was a man of wild savagery," Elspeth admitted. "Now, I will raise him here on Bant as a child of the warrior caste, to be a man of honor, discipline, and courage. His inner fire will not be extinguished, just... channeled to something more productive."

"They should make a new card for a Bant-Sarkhan," Devin grinned, his gaze growing distant as he tried to visualize such a thing. "Um, he'd be called Sarkhan the Knight... converted mana cost two and a green and white...his first ability should cost -1 loyalty counters and be..."

Elspeth looked rather confused, and Kelly quickly elbowed Devin in the side to shut him up. "Best of luck with that, Elspeth," she smiled.

"I will," she nodded, backing up. Epsilon stepped forth, clad in his usual gold and green armor and furs, the same clothing he had worn since the beginning of the war against Elena. His ivory sword was sheathed at his belt, and his eyes were intent. He stood before Viktor and extended his hand.

"Viktor, hero from Earth... I thank you, and your friends, for all you have done for me," he said seriously. "I was condemned to the will of the Defiled One until I saw the light, and was given a chance to shine and fight for justice because of your grace and trust. For that, I am eternally grateful, and find myself in a debt I can never repay."

Viktor accepted Epsilon's hand and shook it, then his face broke into a smile, unable to help a laugh. Epsilon looked taken aback. "What is it?"

"You don't have to be too serious about it, Epsilon," Viktor shook the Hunter's hand more vigorously. It occurred to him that Epsilon was the last of his kind, but was not alone anymore. He had a whole Multiverse friendly to him. "Relax, why don't you? This is a time to be happy."

"It... indeed it is! Thank you again," Epsilon beamed, sharing Viktor's laugh. "I will make Bant my new home, a place of justice and light. I think I'll like it here."

"You most certainly will," Elspeth encouraged him. With that, the Planeswalker and Hunter exited the room, already in discussion about life on Bant. Viktor closed the door again, turning to face his grandfather. "Such nice people we've come to know."

"Another thing to remember fondly, I say," Georgi beamed, holding up his Pallida Mors card. "Now...?"

Viktor nodded and joined his friends in standing in a circle around Georgi, as scarlet, emerald green, and bright white light flared from the card. The light expanded around the group, and with a flash of light, they vanished, leaving the castle room empty behind them.

*o*o*o*o*

**A/N: **Just one more chapter to go!


	42. Chapter 42

**Magic: the Gathering**

Chronicles, Volume 42

"Are you _sure _that you don't another brownie? They're really yummy..." Ashley Willis encouraged her two guests in her living room. Viktor Dimitrov, 26 years old, grinned and shook his head, scratching at the dark stubble on his chin. _I really ought to shave this. _"No thanks, Ash. Kelly always says I snack too much, after all." He glanced to his side, at his wife Kelly Dimitrov, who sat with him on the Willis household's living room couch. She returned his grin. "You're such a browser, Vik. Especially when family friends keep tempting you."

"Hey, just being hospitable," Devin Willis joked, nudging the brownie plate across the coffee table with his foot. "Ash and Gerbie worked hard on these."

"You mean that he bossed me around to make 'Momir Vig's Special Simic Snacks'," Ashley shook her head, but she had to fight to keep a smile off her face, her blond hair whipping this way and that. "Jeez, I thought we left that whole Multiverse adventure behind us. _This _is our quest now, Devin dear: navigating the challenges of modern life. We've got a house and everything, but..."

"But the Multiverse had nastier things," Devin teased her, making Kelly sigh and roll her eyes. "Phyrexians and dragons and Eldrazi oh my! At least the IRS doesn't try to eat my face off."

"Not literally, no," Viktor added, making everyone laugh. Gerbie found this a good chance to enter the conversation. He skittered into the living room from the kitchen, his little furry body roving across the carpet. "Oi! We're almost out of ketchup, Ashley!" he barked from the floor, but his squeaky little voice robbed him of any imposing authority. "And by the way, I keep hearing you complain about taxes and insurance and other stuff. Why not send Cortex Chewer Slugs to the offices and make them cut you a break? I remember watching them grow in the guild vats back in Ravnica. We should have brought some!"

Ashley made a face. "That wouldn't have worked. No magic beings could survive coming here without a constant link to the Multiverse to provide energy. You and Ike were the only exceptions."

"Yup, I was chosen by destiny, darling," Gerbie said proudly, jumping up onto Ashley's lap. "Hahaha!"

Devin made a face, not happy that the little gerbil competed with him for Ashley's affection and attention; after all, he was married to her, not Gerbie! "You know, maybe we could get a cat and remind you of your place, Gerbie..."

"Noooooooo! Not a cat! Evil! Evil!" Gerbie cried in protest, scampering into Ashley's pocket just like old times. Everyone laughed at the sight, the lump in Ashley's pocket squirming at the thought of marauding cats chasing him all day. Finally, Gerbie crawled out, his beady eyes fixed on Devin. "You... didn't mean that, did you?"

"No way. I'm just messing with you," Devin assured him. "By now, I thought you'd know when I'm kidding or not. But then again, it's hard to tell when you're kidding, too..."

Gerbie leaped from Ashley's lap to Devin's, settling down. "Well, I consider you a part of the family. I'm not kidding about that."

Everyone was amazed by Gerbie's sudden maturity, making the little animal bashful. "That was very nice of you, Gerbie," Kelly praised him.

"Yeah," Gerbie perked up. "'Cause who else will pamper me till the end of days? Devin will get me nearly anything I ask for! Just ask him!"

"Ahhh, you little moocher," Devin joked, picking Gerbie and tossing him to Viktor next. "There. Vik will buy you a few rounds next time, okay?" He looked his friend in the eye. "Right?"

"Gerbils shouldn't drink," Viktor grinned, setting Gerbie onto Kelly's lap. "There. She'll give you a nice salad."

"I ain't no Vat Multi-Muncher!" Gerbie protested. "Come on, now!"

Devin made a face. "What the hell is that? You've told us about many Simic beasts, but not that one."

"It's a boar, hydra, and snail put together that has five eyes and suckers on its tentacles and mouths on its rear -" Gerbie started before Kelly cut off his gross description by pointing at the room's hallway. "Look! A stray cat came in here!"

"Run!" Gerbie cried, pouncing back onto Ashley and tryin to burrow into her pocket, more vigorously this time and making her yelp and wrest him back into the open. "Maybe I should cut down your sugar intake."

"Sugar? That's just the placebo effect," Gerbie said wisely, dropping the cat topic. "Though sugar has bizarre effects when the Vat Multi-Muncher absorbs the sugar though its -"

"Hey, look at this!" Devin offered loudly, eager to divert the attention from Gerbie for a second. He tossed a newspaper sheet onto Viktor's lap. "Have you seen this?"

Viktor picked up the newspaper, Kelly craning her neck over to look, too. There was a picture of a dragon and several winged creatures flying around a city's downtown, and the headline declared "ALIENS INVADE NEW YORK CITY, WREAK HAVOC UNTIL PORTALS TO OUTER SPACE VANISH". Trying not to laugh at the headline, Viktor squinted at the picture and saw several of Elena's portals hanging in the air, the gateway her Enslaved creatures had taken to Earth. This newspaper was dated six years ago, the same time as the final battle against Elena and her horde. Kelly muffled a laugh behind her hand as Viktor grinned and set the paper on the table. "I've seen a number of news programs and articles on the Enslaved invasion, but not this one."

"It's from the _New York Times_," Ashley smiled. "They loved the sensationalism of the whole thing. Ye olde yellow journalism, huh?"

"Because of the color of the paper?" Gerbie asked, curious. Ashley patted Gerbie's little head. "No, it's because around the early 1900's or late 1800's, publishers like Joseph Pulitzer and -"

"A... history lesson?" Gerbie drooped his ears. "No fun..."

Devin pointed over at his wife, looking at the Dimitrovs. "She's going into journalism, just so you know," he explained with a grin. "She gets carried away, you know..."

"No I don't," Ashley bit back. "I'm just... dedicated. Right? I try my hardest at everything I do."

"That's part of what made me decide to love you," Devin added gently, and Ashley blushed. "Devin, we have company! I get self-conscious..."

"I'll expand on what Gerbie said earlier. We're all like a family," Viktor suggested. "Old friends who went through a lot, and all."

"Yeah, though I wish Makoto were in town too," Ashley commented. "The east coast is a long way from here, after all."

"Though he sent me a funny video in an e-mail," Devin added excitedly. "It was hilarious! Did I show it you, Ash?"

Ashley made a face yet again. "_No_, because things you find funny are often -"

Conveniently, Viktor checked his watch. "Whoops! We've got to go, it's getting really late." He stood up. "Thanks for having us over."

"Nothing to it, man," Devin stood and shook his good friend's hand. "Thank _you _for being such great visitors."

"Bye, sis," Ashley bid Kelly farewell, giving her sister a tight hug. After pocketing a few tin foil-wrapped brownies at Gerbie's insistence, Viktor headed out the front door, taking Kelly's hand in his as they reached their car and Viktor climbed into the driver's seat, powering up the engine. The evening sun washed its dusky orange-gold light across the neighborhood, lending a calm, reflective air. Viktor drove down the neighborhood, knowing that the trip back to his and Kelly's house would take at least fifteen minutes, giving them time for idle chatter along the way.

At an intersection with rather stubborn traffic, Viktor halted his car, sighing deeply and relaxing against his seat. "You know," he mentioned to Kelly, "Seeing that picture of the Multiverse creatures attacking New York City, silly as it looked, really took me back."

Kelly found that funny. "It was only six years ago, and we're still young. Feeling old already?"

"No way," Viktor resisted a chuckle. "But... every day, I think about our adventure, and the Multiverse, a little less than the day before."

"You're putting it behind you, then?"

"Yeah. We got sucked into the card game's universe, fought Hunters and other monsters, and blew up the baddie and saved Earth and everything else. But we can't go back, and it's all said and done, and it... well, when I think about it now, it doesn't seem real, like it was a dream I had a long time ago. Just a story I keep telling myself."

Kelly's smile was a knowing one. "You miss it."

Viktor jumped, amazed by her insight. "Y-you think so?"

"Certainly," Kelly mused, looking ahead at the stubbornly red traffic light. "I can hear it in your tone, and I know you well, Viktor. You don't really let things go, even if you don't realize it. You keep things close to you." She clapped a hand on his thigh, squeezing affectionately. It's like... well, I dunno..."

"I think I can figure out the rest. Maybe," Viktor grinned, motioning with a hand. Kelly leaned closer, and Viktor kissed her. "I feel kind of torn. I miss the fun fantasy adventure, but it's not something I can base my life on. Like Ashley said, _here _is what's real for us, and now you and I have a life together to spend decades in. I don't even play the Magic game anymore, just rifle through the card collection in the attic, a relic of old times..."

Viktor's gaze went distant, and Kelly's eyes widened at her husband's words. Then she burst out laughing, hysterical. Viktor was taken aback. "H-huh?"

"I see that your speech-making habit isn't a relic of the past," Kelly teased him, tapping his forehead with her pointing finger.

"I-I'm sorry! I get carried away..." Viktor tried feebly to defend himself, squirming in his seat. Kelly didn't mind.

"Relax, Viktor dear. I think it's charming! It shows how much you care about things."

"Things?"

Kelly made an exasperated sound. "Friends, family, whatever. They're close to your heart."

"Yes, that's true. Do you know how long I had had my crush on you, Kelly, before I started to open up to you?"

"N-no. How long?" she blushed.

Viktor grinned broadly. "The very first day we met, when I was still fresh from Bulgaria and had a hell of an accent. I was taken by how gentle but strong you were, and how pretty you were and still are. I've never met anyone else quite like you, Kelly."

"Well thank you, Viktor." Kelly's blush deepened. "But I wonder, do you plan on hanging on to our old game cards and stuff, or what...?"

The light finally turned green, and Viktor's car rumbled forward along with the rest of the traffic. A bus truck motored past, and Viktor waited until it passed before he responded with a mysterious grin. "Well, maybe we can keep those old game materials and pass them on."

"To who? Our friends have their own..."

"To those who aren't here yet," Viktor said mysteriously. Kelly wondered for a second, then said, "Well, your grandfather and his wife did say they'd be visiting sometime this year. Them?"

"No. Try again."

"Something tells me I'll be a fool for not knowing this," Kelly muttered, folding her arms as she thought about it. Then, it occurred to her, and a warm smile crossed her face, a gleam in her eyes as she looked over at Viktor. "Children," she said quietly. Though she and Viktor were childless at the moment, who would want more to see the twosome's neat card collection than young ones? Well, Ike found the cards interesting, but still, there was extra room in the Dimitrov household, and for a while Ashley had been dropping subtle hints about wanting to become an aunt. The possibilities whirled through Viktor's mind, making his gut squirm a little. _Having a child would be totally different than summoning some magic critter from a card and keeping it around_, he figured, then berated himself. _Thinking about the Multiverse again? I'm tryin to move on... oh, heck. I guess I'm a Magic person after all. But that doesn't mean I can't have a happy life with Kelly._

Kelly looked over at Viktor as he drove them down a different neighborhood, her eyes curious. "What is it? That expression..."

"Oh, nothing."

She swatted his shoulder. "Come on, it's _something_. Let's hear it."

Viktor smiled at her. "I think any future kids of ours would be delighted to open up our card boxes in the attic and ogle over the goblins and elves and Planeswalkers in them. Who knows? Maybe they'd make up their own adventures!"

He turned onto the street of the Dimitrov house, the streetlights casting white light onto the darkening streets and crickets chirping in the lawns. Kelly liked the idea that Viktor was proposing. "Yeah. Even if it's not literal, the magic can live on."

**END.**

*o*o*o*o*

**A/N: **I first started this story way back in 2008, and updated it off and on ever since, and now it's done at last. I'm quite relieved but sad to see that my first "serious" fanfiction story is all done now. It was a lot of fun to make.

I would like to thank **3r4g0n**, **BrandonRC**, **citus334**, **d-u-t**, **Dr. Faust**,** famousamos**, **Kaore Ryu**, **Kiyoushu**, **Lightsworn Heka**, **nightwolf08**, **pikachu95**, **SSJoverlordlaharl**, **The Elven Archer of Rivendell**, **Avaloniex**, **Dark13**, **RougeBaron**, **Zanetspr**, **DaemonWelsh**, **TsknRaider**, **Soundless Symphony**, and most of all, **Onionmaster** and **DoahShadow** for the reviews, favorite story alerts, and many other forms of support. Plus, I thank all of my other readers who didn't review or anything, but still enjoyed the story. ^^ There's a lot of you guys, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you.

The ending about Viktor's and Kelly's kids sounds like a sequel setup, but I don't have plans for that :( I think I used up all my Magic: the Gathering fanfic juices for this story, and I hesitate to make a sequel that would be sub-par compared to this story. 42 chapters of Magic will do :)


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